By Nadia Rivas
This year, Bad Bunny (Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio) performed the halftime Super Bowl show at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, and let’s just say he did not let us down. Throughout his whole performance, Bad Bunny symbolized Latino culture. Many Latinos were in awe because of the references made to our lives growing up. The main guests for his performance were Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, but there were also other more minor guest appearances, including Karol G, Pedro Pascal, Jessica Alba, Alex Earle, and Cardi B. From the beginning of his performance, the props and costumes added to the spectacle and truly captured the essence of Latino culture. Beginning with the intro, which depicted kids and elderly people playing outside, Bad Bunny created a street resembling that of a Latino town, with bright and colorful buildings, as well as architecture and plants.
As the scene continues, the screen displayed cursive like lettering spelling Bad Bunny’s full name—just like the tele novelas that are watched by many latino families, which many of us have fond memories of. His use of his full name was purposeful, hinting to the fact that Latinos usually have long names.
You can then see a man wearing a “paya,” which is a straw hat mainly used by sugarcane cutters and coffee pickers. Then the screen shows him holding a wooden guitar, an instrument popularly used in Latin American, while he utters the words, “How amazing is it to be Latino.”
He begins his performance with “Titi Mi Pregunto,” and as he walks through the fields in the back, you can see both women and men working. This reflects how both women and men in Latin America are known for working extremely hard, and how women are the heads of the families because of their dedication towards their families, which correlates to the saying “Latin mothers always find a way.”
A fruit vendor cart is shown, demonstrating that there will be vendors on the street corners, and this fruit stand has “Coco,” one of the most popular fruits in Latin America.
We can also see the elderly playing games and drinking beer, which is common for them to do on the weekends; and a lash tech because Latinas are known for owning lashes, nails, and hair styling business and they are one of the best at it. A raspado truck is also shown, and is one of the most popular frozen desserts in Latin America, especially during the summer. There are flavors ranging from bubblegum to rum (so good). Another truck is pictured, this time a food truck called Villas Tacos located in Los Angeles. This food truck is a staple for many Latinos due to its cheap, accessible, and endless variety.
Then, a real engagement was shown; Bad Bunny passes an engagement ring to a dancer, Fimaren, who proposes to his partner, Emma Eldrige. The point of this was to show that the only thing more powerful than hate is love. We are then shown La Casita, translated as “The Little House,” symbolizing traditional, structured homes. La Casita is usually built during many Bad Bunny performances, and those who enter the house are celebrities, which is why we see all of them conjoined in the front dancing. The song playing is “Yo Perreo Sola,” and it’s very popular among Latinas. Despite their short clothing and dancing style, they should be allowed to dance alone and be respected by men while doing so. Also, it describes a woman enjoying herself post-breakup.
As Bad Bunny is up there dancing, he falls straight down into the house, and reveals a typical Latin household. Vibrant colors, religious statues, the family together, etc. He then kicks down the door, which can refer to ICE agents breaking into homes. When he steps outside, a mix of popular latino songs play, and we see Latinos that range from many different skin colors showcasing that Latinos come in all sizes, heights, hair, and color expressing true representation.
An important part, and personally my favorite part, was when he says, “My name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, and if I’m here today at Super Bowl 60, it’s because I never, ever stopped believing in myself. You should also believe in yourself. You’re worth more than you think. Trust Me.” Benito used to sing at small performances for less than 10 dollars around Latin America, and at one point was one of the most hated because of his singing style. The last thing I want to touch on is the wedding, which was 100% real. The couple invited Bad Bunny to their wedding, but his team said he wouldn’t be able to attend because he would be performing at the Super Bowl. His team later reached out to them again and extended the invitation to come get married during the halftime show.
Despite all the controversy Bad Bunny was receiving for performing at the Super Bowl, he did a fantastic job incorporating every aspect of what it is to be a true Latino. He properly showed everybody that Latinos make America so great; he did an excellent job giving insight to those who do not know much about Latino culture, and showed the beautiful aspects of it. Whether you were born in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, or even the U.S., you can relate to Bad Bunny’s performance because one thing he did right was inclusivity.