Clark University was buzzing on Thursday, October 30. Fans of music and sports packed Higgins Lounge to hear Professor Juan Pablo Rivera explain why Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime gig is causing headlines.
Rivera, a Spanish professor from Puerto Rico, said it plainly. “He is a contradictory figure, for sure, and these contradictions make him interesting, and a lightning rod to get people talking about the Super Bowl, even if they never cared about football at all.”
When the NFL announced the pick in September, reactions were sharp. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested Lee Greenwood would have been better. Trump criticized Roc Nation. Social media quickly heated up.
Rivera sees the move differently. “The NFL has been trying to appeal to younger fans, both at home and internationally, effectively trying to turn American football into a global sport,” he said. “It makes sense that they would choose the person who’s currently the world’s most global music star.”
Bad Bunny started in trap and reggaetón. He added salsa, pop, dembow beats, and more. His 2020 album El Último Tour Del Mundo was the first all-Spanish album to top the Billboard 200.
He has hosted Saturday Night Live and sold out Fenway Park. Rivera called him a “genre-crossing, eclectic artist with multigenerational appeal.”
The controversy isn’t just music. Bad Bunny played with gender expression, dressed in drag, hired nonbinary models, and critiqued colonialism and corruption. He will sing entirely in Spanish.
Rivera explained, “In an increasingly polarized political climate, Bad Bunny sings about people coming together while remaining loyal to being who they are and to where they are from.”
Even those who don’t understand Spanish will feel the performance. Rivera predicts a historic moment. “Music can be a global language,” he said.
The halftime show is an opportunity for sports and entertainment to connect communities in new and meaningful ways.
The Political Context of the Puerto Rican Star Bad Bunny
Bad Bunny has never avoided political commentary. After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017, killing about 3,000 people, he openly criticized the Trump administration’s response. The artist drew attention to the island’s suffering and lack of adequate aid.
Rivera notes that this history adds layers to the current controversy. Bad Bunny’s music and presence in American culture remain closely tied to his advocacy and Puerto Rican identity.
Despite the criticism, Rivera believes the halftime show will be remembered as a powerful moment where sports, music, and social conversation intersected.
He said, “People will be talking about this for years, and it will show how entertainment can bridge cultures and communities.”
The moment raises questions about the role of artists in shaping public dialogue. It shows how music can spark conversation far beyond the stage and challenge audiences to reflect on culture, identity, and justice.
