Back on September 11, CNN reported that Puerto Rican rapper, singer, and producer Bad Bunny skipped the US on his latest world tour due to concerns over ICE raids:
Here's more:
Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny said in an interview that he did not include the United States in his 2025-2026 concert tour because of fear that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would raid the concert venues.
“People from the US could come here to see the show. Latinos and Puerto Ricans of the United States could also travel here, or to any part of the world,” he told i-D magazine. “But there was the issue that … ICE could be outside (my concert venue). And it’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about.”
The musician has previously been critical of ICE operations, which have intensified under US President Donald Trump. He posted an Instagram video in June in which he expressed outrage at federal agents in Puerto Rico for not “leaving these people working here alone.”
But Bunny's stance against the US didn't last long. Yesterday, it was announced he would head the halftime show at the 2026 Super Bowl in Santa Clara, California.
🚨 BAD BUNNY PERFORMING AT SUPER BOWL LX 🚨
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 29, 2025
READY FOR THE BAY AREA 🌉 pic.twitter.com/q09Qui1svm
The Super Bowl is slated for February 8, 2026.
NFL fans, fed up with years of lackluster halftime shows, were not thrilled with this choice,
Roger Goodell and the @NFL just decided to make the Super Bowl political by picking Bad Bunny as the 2026 Super Bowl music act.
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) September 29, 2025
The guy literally says he isn’t touring the US because of Trump’s ICE raids and just released a video mocking President Trump.
Also, most of his songs… pic.twitter.com/s2KYRzev4b
The post continues:
Also, most of his songs aren’t even in English. This is not a pick designed to unite football fans or let people just enjoy the show. It was a pick designed to divide fans and no doubt Bad Bunny will find some way to push a woke message.
Are NFL owners in on this idiocy or are they just culturally that disconnected from reality and how Roger uses the NFL to push left wing social issues?
Is it that hard to pick a unifying music act who doesn’t want to peddle woke propaganda?
Does this guy really scream American football to anyone? Be for real with me. No one thinks he does. This isn’t about music, it’s about putting a guy on stage who hates Trump and MAGA.
Another X user said, "Bad Bunny for a Super Bowl Halftime Show is an objectively bad decision and you don't have to get into the weeds about it." Radio host Dan O'Donnell noted of Bad Bunny, "Turns out his business sense far outweighs his moral convictions."
Some pointed out that Bad Bunny is "a massively popular musical act" who is leading the Latin Grammys with 12 nominations.
It's possible the NFL is trying to draw non-traditional fans to the game with Bunny's halftime show.
In a statement, Bad Bunny said, "What I'm feeling goes beyond myself. It's for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown. This is for my people, my culture, and our history."