Puerto Rican singer and rapper Bad Bunny delivered one of the most anticipated halftime performances in Super Bowl history when he took the stage at the Super Bowl LX’s Apple Music Halftime Show Sunday night. Bad Bunny performed for an audience of 135.4 million, making it the most-watched performance in Super Bowl history.

The performance quickly sparked widespread conversation about culture, diversity, and what defines the “American image.”

Following his historic Grammy win for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos“, the first entirely Spanish-language album to win Album of the Year, Bad Bunny’s presence is viewed as a major achievement for Latin and Spanish-language music.

His performance, held Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, delivered on its promise as a “huge party.”

The set featured deep nods to his Puerto Rican roots — complete with traditional instruments, dancers of all backgrounds, and a focus on celebration.

The NFL promoted Bad Bunny’s performance as entertainment and cultural representation, a decision that influenced post-show reactions.

Media reception remains divided, particularly regarding immigration, cultural diversity, and the current political climate.

Commentators from conservative spaces and the MAGA movement condemned the performance as ‘un‑American,’ arguing that Bad Bunny’s use of Spanish and his outspoken views on U.S. immigration policies are not patriotic.

Former President Donald Trump reiterated his opposition to the NFL’s decision, stating it was “absolutely ridiculous” and would skip the game altogether.

Some commentators claimed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would monitor the event — a suggestion that spread widely on social media. NFL officials stated there were no planned ICE enforcement activities specifically tied to Super Bowl security.

Fans celebrated the performance’s Latino representation, high-energy visuals, and cultural references. Many viewers predicted the performance would rank among the most-watched halftime shows, citing online engagement during and after the broadcast.

Many view Bad Bunny’s performance as part of a shift in Super Bowl entertainment — one that began with artists like Kendrick Lamar, whose own halftime headlines drew huge audiences and boycotts from conservative groups upset by perceived political messaging.

Calls to boycott the halftime show continued throughout game night. Some commentators urged viewers to skip the Super Bowl entirely while others pushed alternative programming.

The backlash resulted in organized counter-programming. Conservative group Turning Point USA staged an “All‑American Halftime Show” featuring Kid Rock and other country performers, supported by GOP figures who argued the NFL’s selection lacked patriotism.

Now that the halftime show has concluded, discourse surrounding Bad Bunny’s performance is inseparable from the event itself. Whether his set deepens ongoing cultural debates or encourages broader political shifts remains to be seen, but its impact on the Super Bowl stage — and beyond — was immediate and undeniable.