Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Celebrates Puerto Rican Heritage with Rich Cultural Symbols
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — On February 9, 2026, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, known worldwide as Bad Bunny, made history as the first musical artist to perform an all-Spanish set during the Super Bowl halftime show. With a staggering audience exceeding 135 million viewers, according to CBS, the Puerto Rican superstar delivered a 13-minute performance that was as much a cultural homage as it was a musical event.
From the opening moments, the show was steeped in symbolism. It began with a man wearing a traditional pava hat playing guitar in front of a sugarcane field, declaring, “Qué rico es ser Latino” (“How wonderful it is to be Latino”). This hat, also known as the jíbaro hat, historically protected workers in Puerto Rico’s agricultural fields and became a symbol of the island’s rural citizens. The sugarcane fields themselves evoke a complex history dating back to the 16th century, when Puerto Rico’s economy was shaped by Spanish colonization and the forced labor of enslaved Africans and Indigenous peoples. Slavery was abolished only in 1873, with an additional three years of forced labor following the official end.
Bad Bunny’s attire further conveyed personal and cultural narratives. His Zara-made football jersey bore his last name, Ocasio, and the number “64,” which has sparked various interpretations. Some speculate it references his mother’s birth year, 1964; others connect it to the initial death toll from Hurricane Maria or to his uncle’s football number, as reported by Complex. As he moved through the set, Bad Bunny passed a cold coconut cart—a nod to Puerto Rican street vendors—and a group of men engaged in a lively game of dominoes, a cherished pastime that bridges generations and communities across the Caribbean.
The performance also spotlighted elements of Puerto Rican diaspora culture, such as a makeshift nail salon representing Nuyorican beauty traditions, and a piragua stand featuring flavored syrups adorned with flags from Puerto Rico, Colombia, Spain, and Mexico. Bad Bunny even included a real Los Angeles immigrant-owned business, Villa’s Tacos, celebrating Latin California’s vibrant culinary scene.
Women featured prominently in a scene with cinder blocks, symbolizing their leadership in Puerto Rico’s rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Maria, especially where federal aid fell short. The show also paid tribute to Puerto Rico’s boxing legacy through two fighters draped in Puerto Rican and Mexican flags, highlighting a storied rivalry in the sport.
The centerpiece was Bad Bunny’s Casita, a recreation of his “No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí” residency home, designed to evoke the warmth and nostalgia of a traditional abuela’s house. Celebrities such as Pedro Pascal, Karol G, Cardi B, and Jessica Alba joined the celebration, dancing in front of the Casita. A small but meaningful detail was the inclusion of the Sapo Concho, a toad native to Puerto Rico and Bad Bunny’s mascot for his album DeBí TiRAR MáS FOToS.
Musically, the show honored reggaeton’s roots, tracing back to 1990s Jamaican reggae, by featuring clips of iconic artists like Tego Calderón. The performance was a vivid tapestry of Puerto Rican culture, history, and resilience, broadcast on one of the world’s biggest stages.
For more on the cultural significance of the halftime show and its historical context, visit the National Park Service’s African American History resources and the Library of Congress Puerto Rican Heritage Collection. The NFL’s official site also provides insight into the halftime show’s production and impact at NFL.com.
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