Bad Bunny, the Super Bowl, and America’s Complicated Relationship With Culture

I want to start by saying this plainly: this is not a hot take. This is not outrage. This is not me trying to stir the pot.

These are reflections.

As a dance educator, arts advocate, former professional dancer, and arts administrator working in Atlanta, I spend a lot of time thinking about how America engages with art—what we celebrate, what we critique, and what we conveniently consume without acknowledgment. Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show sits right at the center of that conversation.

You Can’t Separate America From the Diaspora

You cannot be American and not acknowledge the diasporic influence in American culture. It’s everywhere. Music. Food. Dance. Language. Fashion. Movement.

America loves to call itself a melting pot—until the pot becomes too visible.

As a Black American, I see my culture influencing American culture daily. That influence makes Black culture American culture. Sometimes it’s celebrated. Sometimes it’s monetized. Sometimes it’s misunderstood. And sometimes people would rather pretend it isn’t there at all.

That’s why the backlash to this halftime show feels disingenuous.

You cannot reject a Super Bowl performance rooted in Puerto Rican culture and then, without hesitation, sit down at a Mexican restaurant, sip a margarita, and enjoy the atmosphere. Yes—Mexican and Puerto Rican cultures are distinct. But the symbolism matters.

America consumes culture from the diaspora constantly. The discomfort only seems to appear when that culture takes center stage.

Puerto Rico Is Not “Other”

This part matters, and it needs to be said clearly: Puerto Rico is part of the United States.

Puerto Rican history is American history. Puerto Rican culture is American culture.

This isn’t an opinion—it’s a fact.

And yet, time and time again, Puerto Rico is treated as something separate. Something optional. Something that only becomes American when it’s convenient.

You cannot understand where this country is going if you refuse to understand its history.

When Art Does What Art Is Supposed to Do

The performance itself was beautiful—not because it tried to please everyone, but because it was specific. It honored Puerto Rican culture through detail, symbolism, and storytelling.

That is what art is supposed to do.

Art tells stories. Art teaches. Art invites reflection.

I am not Hispanic, but I learned from watching this performance. That alone tells me it was effective.

If you were truly paying attention, the metaphors were there. The symbolism was intentional. The references were layered. Nothing felt accidental.

Homage was paid where homage was due.

Ancestors, Rhythm, and Familiarity

As a Black American, the emphasis on honoring ancestors and cultural lineage felt deeply familiar to me. That throughline—knowing where you come from—exists across many cultures within the African diaspora and beyond.

In my unprofessional professional opinion, there is undeniable crossover between Black and Hispanic cultures: shared rhythms, shared resistance, shared joy, shared struggle.

Dance styles like salsa and bachata carry African foundations. There is a history of finding joy and expression even within oppression. The joy does not disappear—it transforms.

That’s why this performance felt familiar to me, even though it wasn’t my personal history being centered.

This Is What “American” Actually Looks Like

This performance was inherently American.

America was built on immigration, diaspora, and layered identities. Whether people want to acknowledge it or not, Puerto Rican culture is already woven into daily American life.

And honestly, I appreciate the direction the Super Bowl halftime show has taken in recent years. From Kendrick Lamar’s performance last year to Bad Bunny’s this year, the focus has shifted.

These performances are no longer just about spectacle.

They are about storytelling.

They are about education.

They are about conversation.

They are about placing art—dance, orchestration, live musicians, set design—on one of the largest stages in the world.

Love as a Counterpoint

One quote from the performance stayed with me:

“The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”

It’s a simple idea, but a necessary one—especially right now.

If there is one thing America could stand to invest in more, it’s love. And by extension, the art that teaches us how to see each other.

Final Reflection

These are my reflections on Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show.

This is not about arguing. It’s about sitting with the art, questioning our reactions, and being honest about America’s complicated relationship with culture.

And finally—shout out to the dancers. The performance had people rocking in their seats, ready to move. For a moment, I thought I was Puerto Rican myself.

That’s the power of art.