In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15th to October 15th, We need to go over the cultural details that you may have missed during Bad Bunny’s halftime show.
It has been a NINE long months since the Super Bowl, and I still can’t get over this year’s halftime show. Nearly 130 million tuned in to watch Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny’s performance, also referred to by fans as “Benito Bowl”. Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio was announced to perform the halftime show back in 2025, which brought controversy amongst conservative groups, in my opinion, out of racism.
Over what? Is the whole show in Spanish? Because Bad Bunny isn’t “American”? The haters were so peeved that they launched their own halftime show, labelling it the All-American Halftime Show.
News flash, he’s a U.S. citizen; Puerto Rico is identified as an unincorporated territory of the U.S. However, that doesn’t stop the racism against Puerto Ricans or any POC. Being American does NOT solely mean the United States; it means people in the continent. That term is widely used to refer to US citizens because it’s easier, I mean, United Statesian is a mouthful, but understand the context before throwing it around. You can disagree but that doesn’t mean you’re correct.
You don’t need music to be in English to understand it. Music is a universal language that transcends borders and exists in every single culture. You don’t need English to enjoy Instrumentals, Classical, Rock, Punk, Hip Hop, Jazz, Blues, Pop, K-Pop, Reggaeton, Bachata, etc.
As a white Puertorriqueña born in Syracuse and raised in a predominantly white town, the halftime show meant something more than a simple performance. Watching Bad Bunny represent Puerto Rican culture despite the hate campaign against him was inspiring. I felt connected to my culture, and as I educated myself, I learned the context and hidden meanings of his performance.
The Sugarcane Fields
The performance opened up with drone footage of the sugarcane fields in Puerto Rico to honor the cultural and economic significance of sugarcane production on the island. The sugar industry of Puerto Rico is one of the oldest in the western hemisphere. At its most productive, Puerto Rico supplies 12.5 million tons of sugarcane processing a little over 1 million tons of raw sugar at 34 mills on 400,000 acres of land. Today, sugarcane is no longer a major crop as the island’s agriculture has turned to producing coffee, plantains, bananas, and other fruits.
The Puerto Rican Flag
The Puerto Rican flag that you see today that matches the US flag with its royal blue, bright red, and pure white colors was not the flag that Bad Bunny carried → This was something new that I learned while watching Bad Bunny’s performance. The flag with its lighter blue, soft red, and off-white colors is a symbol of independence and revolution. In 1948, before the PR flag was rebranded to what we see today, Law 53 of 1948 criminalized the display of the flag, advocating for independence, and censored pro-independence gatherings. Those who disobeyed were persecuted, arrested, and imprisoned. The law was repealed in 1957 but remains a painful part of the island’s history.
El Apagón – The Blackout
Bad Bunny’s, “El Apagón” part of the show displayed electrical poles that he and his performers climbed up. It was to reference the severe power outages that Puerto Ricans suffer through on the island. The Puerto Rican people lose 27 hours of power per year while customers in the US experience 2 hours not including major events. Of course, these interruptions increased from hurricanes but also the fragility of their power system.
Ricky Martin – The bridge between two generations
Enrique “Ricky” Martin Morales is a Puerto Rican singer and songwriter that helped the genre, Latin Pop, spread across the globe. Many will recognize him by his infamous “Livin’ la Vida Loca” released in 1999. His moving but quick performance of “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii,” or “What happened to Hawaii” symbolizes colonization and displacement with Bad Bunny connecting Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The song urges Puerto Ricans not to forget their culture and their independence. I highly suggest listening to the song in Spanish then reading the English lyrics on the website: Genius. Ricky Martin performing this song was also meant to celebrate how far Latin music has come compared to when he started – when that genre was new to mainstream ears.
The End
During the finale, flags belonging to North America and South America, including the Caribbean islands were displayed with pride as the show ended with his song: BAILE INoLVIDABLE (Unforgettable Dance). I remember seeing a flood of TikTok’s with families documenting their reactions, cheering when they heard their country. It shows the importance of diversity and how it brings people together. I still see those videos now and they always bring me joy.
“Together, We Are America”
The critical message of his performance: Unity and Love. Also the message of this months Hispanic Heritage “Unidos, Somos Mas: Together, We Are More”
In the last few years there has been severe division within our society and across borders. I don’t understand how one can watch this performance and label it as a disgrace to society. There is nothing wrong with diversity and inclusion. As human beings, I think it’s our duty to come together as one. We should work to dismantle disgusting rhetoric that spreads out of fear and hate, to respect culture and one another. That is what being a true patriot looks like.