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Bad bunny Super Bowl halftime performance It felt like a non-stop party, but beneath the lively show and dancing was a densely layered visual essay on Puerto Rican history. While much of the online narrative focuses on whether a show is “conceptual,” “entertaining,” or “political,” a deeper cultural narrative has been woven through the theatrical show.
From the stadium itself to the utility poles to a child sleeping in chairs, the halftime show was full of references and symbolism. I grew up in Puerto Rico, and for me and my family, these signs were immediate and clear. But I realize that without the lived experience, it would have been easy to miss those visual cues.
Consider this your cheat sheet for the moments that caught the attention of Latinos like me and what that actually means.
The sugarcane field and the legacy of the work
The Puerto Rican star opened the halftime show by walking across a field of uneven grass, referencing the history of sugar cane plantations. Sugarcane cannot be separated from the island’s colonial history, from Spanish rule to American territory. Agricultural workers in the Caribbean built an economy based on exporting wealth while extracting resources from the island.
While walking through this field to the beat of Tití Me Preguntó, Bad Bunny made some cultural references as well. We saw older men playing dominoes next door, an ancient tradition still seen today in city squares. The singer also passed between two boxing men, which I believe was a nod to Tito Trinidad, a former professional Puerto Rican boxer with multiple world championships.
All the big latin stars of “La Casita”
We couldn’t ignore the many Latin celebrities who were present, dancing in the little pink and yellow house that accurately represents what the houses on the island look like. I’ve met Pedro Pascal (Chilean), Cardi B (Dominican), Karol G (Colombian), and Yung Mico (Puerto Rican). For me, the presence of all these artists from the Americas represents a welcome to people of all nationalities “home.”
Electricity poles during “El Apagon”
When he performed “El Apagón,” which translates to “blackout” or “blackout,” Bad Bunny and his backup dancers (referring to line workers) climbed utility poles. The scene symbolizes the repetitive Power outage at the island experiments Due to weak electricity networks and bad weather conditions. You can even see some transformers exploding, a sound Puerto Ricans know well. This means no electricity until further notice.
The little boy sleeping on chairs at a wedding (real!).
Word has it that this couple, who got married on the field, had previously invited Bad Bunny to their wedding. instead of, He reportedly invited them to marry During his halftime performance. So, yes. This was a real marriage, and Benito used it to evoke a nostalgic memory that most Latino children would feel.
I distinctly remember going to baby showers, bridal showers, and wedding parties as a kid, and the parties would go on until very late, so I would sleep on a makeshift bed made of chairs. Our parents had so much fun at these parties that even the tired children did not stop them from dancing.
The wedding is also perhaps the ultimate celebration of love and joy, a throughline we see throughout this entire performance and a nod to Bad Bunny’s speech at the Grammys, where he said, “The only thing stronger than hate is love.”
What happened to Hawaii with Ricky Martin
One of the most powerful moments for me was when Ricky Martin joined Benito to sing Lo que le pasó a Hawaii, which translates to “What Happened to Hawaii.” This song is about the history of the Pacific Islands and how we see glimpses of that history repeated with the US relationship with Puerto Rico.
Ricky Martin singing this song goes beyond joining forces with Puerto Rican iconography. He also acknowledges that Martin himself, who began his career in the boy band Menudo, achieved mainstream success years before Bad Bunny by assimilating into North American culture to please global audiences. Today, Martin’s success, along with that of Bad Bunny, allows artists to affirm Puerto Rican culture and heritage rather than dilute it.
Handing over a Grammy to the little boy
During the performance, we saw a family watching Bad Bunny’s acceptance speech during the Grammy Awards, and the star handed the Grammy to the little boy. I’ve seen speculation online that he’s referring to Liam Ramos, the 5-year-old who was kidnapped by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and later released. Another interpretation is that the little boy is meant to be a young version of Bad Bunny himself, and giving him a Grammy symbolizes what one can achieve if you pursue your dreams. I would like to add that this gesture represents the singer paving the way for the next generation.
Tonita in “Nouvelle”
As the performers danced salsa to Nuevayol, in the background you could see a collection of popular Latin businesses, like Los Angeles-based Villa’s Tacos, a barber shop and a bar, where an older woman named Toñita apparently gave him a shot. Toñita is Puerto Rican and owner Caribbean Social Clublocated in the heart of Williamsburg, New York. It has been a little piece of home for Puerto Ricans in the diaspora for the past 50 years.
God bless America
After 13 minutes of an almost exclusively Spanish show, Bad Bunny said the show’s only English phrase, “God bless America” — a phrase traditionally associated with American patriotism at sporting events. Behind him, dancers carried the flags of South, Central and North American countries.
As the flag march ended, Bad Bunny held up a football that read: “Together, We Are America.” This football served as a pillar to serve a unified message, with the backdrop being a huge banner that said: “The only thing stronger than hate is love.”
For me, the performance was a masterpiece of storytelling. Every visual choice, choreography, and song was carefully curated to convey Puerto Rican identity. Watching this live on one of the biggest stages in the world made everyone in the diaspora feel welcome and celebrated.