Puerto Rican trailblazer Bad Bunny, the reggaetón phenom with a trophy case bursting from three Grammys and 12 Latin nods, snagged the 2026 Super Bowl halftime crown Monday, poised to electrify Levi's Stadium on February 8 with Latin fire—yet his anti-ICE stance has ignited a firestorm, pitting cultural triumph against NFL's political tightrope.

The 31-year-old Benito Martínez Ocasio, whose 2025 album *DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS* swept critics and charts, follows Kendrick Lamar's record 133.5 million-view juggernaut.

Backed by Jay-Z's Roc Nation and Apple Music, Bad Bunny hailed the gig as a "touchdown" for his roots: "This is for my people, my culture." Yet whispers of Taylor Swift or Metallica alternatives faded, spotlighting his global pull—from *Bullet Train* screens to fashion runways.

The pick, unveiled five months out, underscores the halftime's cultural clout, where unpaid stars like Michael Jackson reshaped trends.

Bad Bunny's 12 leading Latin Grammy noms this year eclipse all, but his track record—skipping the U.S. leg of his 2025-26 tour to shield fans from ICE raids—has split fans.

Critics slam the NFL for courting controversy, decrying his "safety over spectacle" ethos as un-American; supporters cheer the Latino beacon amid Kaepernick echoes.

Internet roils with ethnicity debates too—some hail the first Puerto Rican headliner as overdue pride, others gripe over "woke" picks sidelining rock icons. Jay-Z defended the choice: "What Bad Bunny has done for Puerto Rico is inspiring."