Bad Bunny positions itself against current US politics
It had been known for some time that the Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny would be allowed to play the prestigious quarter hour during the half-time break. And he is not known as a Trump friend either. Quite the opposite: The 31-year-old musician has often taken a position against current US politics in the past. And even real consequences were drawn: There will be no performances in the USA on his next world tour. According to him, the danger is too great that the immigration authorities ICE could carry out raids on suspicion at his concerts, which might even lead to deportations.
Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, comes from Vega Baja, a small town on the north coast of Puerto Rico. He used to stand at the supermarket checkout, put his songs on SoundCloud and became one of the most listened to artists in the world. With his performance at the halftime show, he will be the first artist to perform the entire show in Spanish.
Conservative criticism of the decision for Bad Bunny
The decision, announced in the fall, sparked a heated debate in the USA. Conservative politicians and pro-Trump groups criticized the election as a “political statement” and called for an “all-American” alternative. Turning Point USA, the right-wing organization founded by slain influencer Charlie Kirk, announced to offer a separate Super Bowl halftime show (external link).
US President Donald Trump called Bad Bunny’s choice “absolutely ridiculous”, although he also admitted: “I’ve never heard of him.”
Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner and therefore head of the league, countered: Bad Bunny is one of the most popular entertainers in the world. “We want to get artists like that. The choice is carefully thought out.” The official also referred to past performances – there, too, various artists had provoked “backlash or criticism” in advance.
Last year the rapper Kendrick Lamar performed. And his performance in the presence of Donald Trump was considered one of the most political in the history of the Super Bowl. So it will be interesting to see how political things will be with Green Day and Bad Bunny.
With material from dpa
