Jay-Z is defending Bad Bunny’s anticipated Super Bowl Halftime Show against the backlash. The announcement for the Puerto Rican superstar immediately led to outcry from conservative media and the Trump administration because of the artist’s political comments, which include an interview with i-D where he said he skipped touring in the United States because he was concerned about ICE being at the concerts.
Turning Point USA, founded by the late Charlie Kirk, is boycotting the performance with its own counterprogram. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said the NFL “won’t be able to sleep at night” for choosing Bad Bunny, and warned that ICE will be at the Super Bowl. President Donald Trump himself has claimed that he “never heard” of the Latin artist, who was the global top streaming artist on Spotify three years in a row.
But Jay-Z, who has partnered with the NFL on the halftime show since 2019 with his music label, Roc Nation, doesn’t believe the hate.
“They love him, don’t let them fool you,” he said in a video caught by TMZ.
Upon the announcement at the end of last month, the billionaire rapper called Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, “inspiring.”
“What Benito has done and continues to do for Puerto Rico is truly inspiring. We are honored to have him on the world’s biggest stage,” Jay-Z said in a statement to Rolling Stone.
According to a new Quinnipiac University poll, Americans are as divided on a Bad Bunny halftime show as they are in their politics. The poll found that 48 percent of Americans approve of the NFL’s decision to have Bad Bunny perform, while 29 percent disapprove and 24 percent did not offer an opinion. A majority of Democrats support the decision at a 74 percent approval rating, while 63 percent of Republicans disapprove.
The poll also shows that more Black adults (61 percent) and Hispanic adults (65 percent) approve of the decision than white adults (41 percent).
