Review: Bad Bunny brought Puerto Rico's history and culture to a revolutionary Super Bowl show

The sun hung low when Bad Bunny emerged in Puerto Rico's sugar cane fields during his halftime show, surrounded by jíbaros in pavas (rural farmers in traditional straw hats), viejitos playing dominos (an affectionate term for older men) and a piragua stand (shaved ice) — undeniable symbols of Puerto Rico.

From a small Caribbean island with a complicated colonial history, to the world: The artist born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio brought Puerto Rican culture to the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, for his 2026 Super Bowl halftime show in what was always going to be a landmark moment for Latinos.

He started with his huge reggaeton-and-then-some hits, “Tití Me Preguntó" moving into “Yo Perreo Sola,” as he remerged on top of the casita ("little house") from his Puerto Rican residency — Cardi B, Jessica Alba, Pedro Pascal, Karol G, Young Miko, Ronald Acuña Jr., Alix Earle and Dave Grutman were guests at his pari de marquesina ("house party.")

Then he crashed through the roof — Daddy Yankee's “Gasolina” played for a moment, clearly an acknowledgement and celebration of the Puerto Rican artists who laid the path for his career to go global.

“Mi nombre es Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio,” he introduced himself to the crowd in Spanish. “Y si hoy estoy aquí en el Super Bowl 60, es porque nunca, nunca dejé de creer en mí y tú también deberías de creer en ti, vales más de lo que piensas.”

In English: “My name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, and if I’m here today at Super Bowl 60 it’s because I never, ever stopped believing in myself and you should also believe in yourself, you’re worth more than you think."

The strings of his song “Monaco” played — then, a surprise Lady Gaga emerged at a real wedding scene, singing her portion of the Bruno Mars-duet “Die with a Smile,” joined by the salsa band Los Sobrinos. Her dress featured a maga, Puerto Rico's national flower.

As they performed, the couple was married and Benito served as their witness and signed their certificate.

It also gave Benito time for a fashion change — rocking a white suit like a classic salsero — for “Baile Inolvidable" and “NuevaYol," with a block party set where he took a shot with Toñita, owner of one of the last Puerto Rican social clubs in New York City, Brooklyn's Caribbean Social Club.

Ricky Martin, one of Puerto Rico's greatest crossover artists, performed Bad Bunny's “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii,” (“What Happened to Hawaii”), a rallying cry for Puerto Rico’s cultural autonomy in an era of neocolonialization. Martin sat in a plastic chair in front of a plantain tree; a scene that mirrored the cover of Bad Bunny's 2025 album “Debí Tirar Más Fotos."

Behind Martin, jíbaros in pavas climbed power poles that exploded, symbolic of Puerto Rico's frequent blackouts and failing power grid. It queued up a moving performance of 2022 song “El Apagón” (“The Blackout”), in reference to Hurricane Maria, its aftermath and the continued anger and frustration over persistent, chronic power outages.

As he sang one of his most political songs, Bad Bunny held a Puerto Rico flag in red, white and baby blue — reflective of the Puerto Rican independence movement.

For around 13 minutes during the halftime show sponsored by Apple Music and Roc Nation, all eyes on the field — and around the world — were on Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio.

Bad Bunny performed entirely in Spanish — as all of his music is recorded in the language, though he has collaborated with English-language artists. The only English singing came from Gaga.

He did speak in English at the end of the set, however, when he said, “God Bless America,” and then named countries in the Americas: “Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil” and so on, including the United States and Canada — a reminder that while it is common to use “America” as a synonym for the U.S. in the U.S., it is the name used across two continents.

“And my motherland, mi patria, Puerto Rico, seguimos aquí." In English, “My homeland, Puerto Rico, we are still here.”

Behind him, a screen read “The only thing more powerful than hate is love” in English text, a direct reference to one of his recent speeches at the 2026 Grammys.

He ended with “DtMF” as he walked out of the stadium, joined by musicians with güiros (a percussive instrument made of a hollow gourd) and panderetas (tambourines, a symbol of plena.)

For years, Bad Bunny has been one of the most-streamed artists on the planet. And on Sunday, he made it clear that his global popularity translates seamlessly to the biggest stage in the U.S. (Though he is no stranger to it. He previously appeared during the halftime show at Super Bowl LIV in 2020 alongside Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. He sang in Spanish alongside two artists whose bilingual hits helped usher in a crossover era for Latin music in the ’00s.)

Consider Bad Bunny's 2026 halftime performance the cherry on top of a huge moment for the 31-year-old global superstar, who just 10 years ago was working at an Econo supermarket in Puerto Rico.

Last week, he took home album of the year at the 2026 Grammys for his “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” an album that marries folkloric tradition in local Borinquen genres like bomba, plena, salsa and música jíbara with contemporary styles like reggaeton, trap and pop. It marked the first time an all-Spanish language album won the top prize.

Like most headliners, Bad Bunny kept details of his halftime performance under wraps ahead of time, though many theorized there would be some kind of political performance. He's been critical of President Donald Trump in the past and at the Grammys last Sunday, said “ICE out” while accepting a televised award. Bad Bunny's latest tour skipped the continental U.S.; in an interview he said it was at least partially inspired by concerns that his fans could be targeted by immigration agents.

At a press conference on Thursday, Bad Bunny told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe and Ebro Darden viewers could expect a huge party — and joked that while viewers didn't need to learn Spanish to enjoy his set; they should learn to dance.

“I want to bring to the stage, of course, a lot of my culture,” he said at the time. "I don’t want to give any spoilers. It’s going to be fun.”

Of course, he delivered on just that — with a message of hope and a reminder of Puerto Rico's resiliency.

For more on the Super Bowl, visit https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl

Bad Bunny and Lady Gaga perform during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Bad Bunny performs during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Bad Bunny performs during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Bad Bunny performs during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Bad Bunny, left, performs during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Bad Bunny performs during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Bad Bunny performs during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Bad Bunny performs during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 60 football game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

LOUISA, Va. (AP) — Michael Shull never imagined that a Democrat from the wealthy suburbs of Washington would represent his community in Congress. His corner of Virginia, with its sprawling farms and winding country roads, has been electing Republicans for more than three decades.

Then came an unusual nationwide redistricting battle, with Democrats and Republicans redrawing congressional lines to boost their chances in November's midterm elections. Virginia could be next as voters consider a new map that would pair conservative rural areas with liberal suburbs, diluting Republicans' electoral clout.

“Politicians should be elected to be their people’s voice,” said Shull, a Republican member of Augusta County’s board of supervisors. “Not their party’s voice.”

The vote on the constitutional amendment is on April 21, and early balloting has begun. If voters pass the referendum and it survives a court challenge, Shull's area within the county would be split between the 7th and 9th Congressional Districts. While the 9th District would be the state's lone Republican stronghold, the 7th District would resemble a lobster with the long tail beginning in Democrat-dominated Arlington and two claws reaching south into rural communities.

Congressional districts are usually redrawn once a decade, but President Donald Trump started a chain reaction last year by encouraging Texas Republicans to devise a new map to help the party in November. After a cascade of redistricting efforts, Republicans believe they can win a combined nine more U.S. House seats in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio, while Democrats think they can win a total of six more seats in California and Utah. Virginia could give Democrats an extra four seats — enough to overturn the GOP's slim majority, at least as things stand now.

“It’s about making sure that we fight back to what Trump’s done,” said U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., He said the party needs to persuade voters that the referendum is "not about embracing gerrymandering.”

“I feel optimistic, but it’s close,” he said.

The referendum comes at a moment when Virginia Democrats have tried to make up ground in rural areas. Last year, Democrat Abigail Spanberger campaigned for governor in oyster towns and agrarian hamlets to engage with more conservative voters. Before that winning campaign, she had represented a congressional district that mixed city suburbs, exurbs and adjacent rural communities.

“Anyone who’s doing their job will be responsive to the communities that they seek to represent,” Spanberger said.

But her results were mixed. In counties where fewer people lived in rural areas, she outperformed Democrat Kamala Harris' Virginia showing in the 2024 presidential race by an average of 6 percentage points or 7 percentage points. In more rural counties, Spanberger gained about 2 percentage points to 4 percentage points.

Democrat Anthony Flaccavento, former congressional candidate and co-founder of the nonprofit Rural Urban Bridge Initiative, is torn over the referendum.

“At some level, it feels like kicking the can down the road -– which is something that my party has done for a long time –- when it comes to winning back rural and working-class voters,” Flaccavento said.

Democrats in rural areas who are tired of being outnumbered by their Republican neighbors are embracing the redistricting plan.

“Fight Back, Vote Yes,” said a sign at a No Kings protest in Louisa County. A second said, “Vote Yes. Stop ICE. No Kings.”

State Del. Dan Helmer, who helped spearhead the redistricting effort, greeted protesters and spoke to the cheering crowd. Helmer is now one of at least four Democrats running in the 7th District.

Helmer said Republicans “think that in red areas like Louisa and in rural areas, that people don’t know what’s going on. But I’m looking around right now, I see strong, proud patriots who know exactly what is going on, who know that we have an aspiring dictator who is trying to take away our democracy.”

Jennifer Lee, who has lived in Louisa for 33 years, said she was eager to support the new district lines. Lee said she felt Republicans were perpetuating a double standard, falsely claiming the 2020 presidential election won by Democrat Joe Biden was stolen from Trump but accepting his push to eliminate Democratic seats through gerrymandering.

“That’s their slogan, right? ‘Stop the steal,’” Lee said. “But they started ‘the steal.’ They’re stealing the seats now in all these districts.”

At a town hall hosted by Democrats at a rural Goochland County recreation center, voters nibbled on finger foods and passed around bottled water as they debated whether redistricting violated some kind of moral code.

“I’m sorry, morality just goes out the door right now. We have to do what it takes for us to survive,” said Bruce Silverman, a local nephrologist. He was voting “yes.”

At one point, Roberta Thacker-Oliver stood up to talk. She votes in the rural 9th District, which would become even more Republican with the new map.

“In the redistricting, the 9th is going to become bigger and redder,” she said, adding, “I need to know what to tell my community about why they need to take one for the team."

“What do we tell them?” she said.

Associated Press writers Maya Sweedler, Ashlyn Still and Joey Cappelletti in Washington contributed to this report.

Kasey Griffin, right, and other members of the Madison County Republican Committee wave signs opposing the Virginia redistricting referendum at passing cars, during the early voting period, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Madison, Va. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

A truck driver stops to wave at members of the Madison County Republican Committee as they hold signs opposing the Virginia redistricting referendum, during the early voting period, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Madison, Va. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Goochland Democratic Committee member Richard Grebe stick an "I Voted" sticker on his shirt during a lunch meeting on future get-out-the-vote efforts for the Virginia redistricting referendum, Thursday, April 2, 2026, at GG's Pizza in Maiden, Va. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Fliers lay on a table as members of the Goochland Democratic Committee Jen Strozier, Doug Mock, Chris Svoboda, Richard Grebe and Judi Sheppard hold a lunch meeting on future get-out-the-vote efforts for the Virginia redistricting referendum, Thursday, April 2, 2026, at GG's Pizza in Maiden, Va. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Members of the Goochland Democratic Committee Jen Strozier, Doug Mock, Chris Svoboda, Richard Grebe and Judi Sheppard hold a lunch meeting on future get-out-the-vote efforts for the Virginia redistricting referendum, Thursday, April 2, 2026, at GG's Pizza in Maiden, Va. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

A print edition of the Goochland Gazette, with a front page story on the Virginia redistricting referendum, lies on a table at GG's Pizza as members of the Goochland Democratic Committee Jen Strozier, Doug Mock, Chris Svoboda, Richard Grebe and Judi Sheppard hold a lunch meeting on future get-out-the-vote efforts, Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Maiden, Va. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Signs in support of the Virginia redistricting referendum are seen as Jen Strozier and Doug Mock, members of the Goochland Democratic Committee, order lunch at GG's Pizza, Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Maiden, Va. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)