By Luis Herrera-Herrera

Staff Writer

Superstar Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio—otherwise known as Bad Bunny—is one of the most influential Latin artists of this generation. He seamlessly blends his Puerto Rican culture and Latin hip-hop in a way that feels right, even to those who don’t speak Spanish or understand the lyrics at all. It is simply just objectively good music that makes people want to dance and have a good time.

The rhythmic beats in his music reinforce this; he pushes the boundaries of what reggaeton and trap can be. He does this even in the songs he is featured in with other notable artists like J Balvin or Grupo Frontera, as recently as 2023. Not only this, but Bad Bunny is extremely fluid in his sound, most recently with the release of his album “Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana,” taking inspiration from 70s salsa in the song “NUEVAYOL” and paying homage to the Puerto Rican diaspora in New York City.

The news that Martínez Ocasio will perform at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show stirs the pot, as the artist has been vocal about his stance on Immigration and Customs Enforcement, noting the impact it has had on the Puerto Rican community and his fans in the United States.

The controversy being discussed is whether Martínez Ocasio should be allowed to take a political stance and still perform. Some conservative pundits have pointed out that Martínez Ocasio is “not an American artist,” and for this reason, should not even be considered to perform at Super Bowl LX.

This line of thinking is deeply flawed, as Martínez Ocasio is a citizen of the United States due to birthright citizenship, Puerto Rico being an unincorporated commonwealth territory.

The biggest issue many have with Bad Bunny performing is that the music he will be performing will not be in English. However, 41.25 million people speak Spanish at home. So, what is the big deal?

The issue is that many socially conservative people believe it is improper for Spanish, or any other language besides English, to be spoken in public. It is important to remember that the United States does not have a widely recognized official language. Looking past President Trump’s past executive orders, only an act of Congress could truly cement English as the official language.

Besides the political shenanigans in place on something as trivial as language—which is such a big defining factor of someone’s identity—those who don’t even speak or understand Spanish seem to enjoy Bad Bunny’s music just fine.

Why? Because an art form such as music transcends language.

Music is art, just like any other. Would you remove Roman sculptures because they were made of Carrara marble rather than the Greek Pentelic marble? Of course not, that is just silly. Anyone who can truly appreciate the art of music does not care in which package it is delivered to them, and this can be shown through Bad Bunny and his international and generational presence among the youth.

Martínez Ocasio should be allowed to do whatever he would like, including having a political voice. He is an influential artist, yes, but he is also a person with legal rights, including his right to freedom of speech. There is no issue with him stating his political opinion, and it should not get in the way of his career.

A question comes to mind: Why was Bad Bunny chosen for his appearance at the Super Bowl to begin with? Following a rational line of thinking from the perspective of the NFL, their goal is to reach a worldwide audience. Bad Bunny is that channel to bring the most attention to the Super Bowl from as many fans as possible.

For the NFL, this was not a political move to bolster liberal thought; no, that’s ridiculous. The whole point of Bad Bunny performing at the halftime show was to entertain and to have fun.

The framing of Martínez Ocasio’s political involvement should not be called into question when considering his art and talents. People must understand that there is a time and place for politics, and a time and place for genuine, fun, exciting, entertaining human experiences.

To those still opposed to Bad Bunny performing at the halftime show, I do not fault you, but you must allow people to be happy and not drag them down with your inability to appreciate the love of music.

And to those who will be watching the game on Feb. 8 at home: During the half-time show, get up, grab your drink of choice, and enjoy the music of Bad Bunny.