The Benito Bowl

Nickolas Cielo ’29

On February 8th, Bad Bunny delivered an electrifying halftime show at Superbowl LX. The performance, which lasted about 13 minutes, was deeply rooted in Puertorican/Hispanic/Latinx culture and represented the culture on the biggest stage in the U.S. (not to say America because Bad Bunny taught us that America is the whole continent). Since his full halftime performance has been uploaded onto YouTube by the official NFL account, I will add timestamps so you can follow along with my commentary as you watch the video. Bad Bunny’s halftime show is full of representation and symbolism that were the subtle building blocks to making his performance so culturally significant.

00:15 - This is when the performance starts. We see a man wearing a traditional Puerto Rican hat, called a pava, that is used to cover the heads of cultivators from the heat. In the background, we see the sugar cane fields, which is one of the economic outputs of Puerto Rico. Sugar cane is a large industry throughout the Caribbean, so it can be widely interpreted as a representation of the entire Caribbean, not just Puerto Rico.

00:24 - Although his artistic name is “Bad Bunny,” his actual name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio. He got his artistic name Bad Bunny from a childhood photo where he was dressed in a bunny outfit and had a grumpy face, hence the name, Bad Bunny.

00:28 - “El espectáculo de medio tiempo del Super Tazón” translates to “The Superbowl Halftime Show.” In Spanish, there is no name for the Superbowl as an event, unlike the World Cup (El Mundial). So instead, the literal translation is a Super BOWL, as in the dish.

00:50 - A little while after Bad Bunny begins singing his hit, “Tití Me Preguntó,” we see one of the cultivators use his hat to fan himself. This small detail shows the intense labor required to tend to these sugar cane fields. Every stalk of sugar cane is almost like cutting down a small tree, a difficult task requiring immense effort.

00:57 - The first Latinx food makes its appearance. Coco frío is a refreshing, chilly green coconut sold by street vendors throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.

01:02 - As Bad Bunny makes his way through the sugar cane fields, he stops at a table where elderly people are playing dominos. If you’ve been a New Yorker for long enough, you’ve 100% seen this. Dominos are a favorite for many elderly people, and it has slowly trickled its way into the city. It’s fun to play, too!

01:20 - Piraguas are a staple of Puertorican food. The desert is made from shaved ice, and covered in fruit-flavored syrup. They are a staple of Hispanic desert in the summer, and you’ve likely seen them in NYC.

01:27 - Yet again, you’ve seen this in NYC. Tacos have become a universal food, with its roots in Latin America, primarily Mexico. You might notice the sign below the taco cart, “Villa’s Tacos.” They are an actual Taqueria located in Los Angeles, and since the Superbowl, their lines have extended outside of the door.

01:32 - Right after the tacos, we see two people boxing. Boxing has become a large entertainment industry not only in Puerto Rico, but throughout Latin America. The two boxers shown were professional boxers, Puertorican Xander Zayas and the Mexican-American Emiliano Vargas.

01:37 - We’ve also seen this in the city. Those “We Buy Gold” signs are a staple of NYC.

01:47 - Bad Bunny sings the line, “Muchacho deja eso” which translates to “Boy stop/leave that.” Bad Bunny is denaturalizing the idea that marriage is sacred. There is great pressure in Latin families to get married, and Bad Bunny giving the ring away shows that you have a choice, and it shouldn’t be pressured. He gives it to a young man who proposes to his girlfriend, which shows that there are still couples that prefer to get married young, by choice. Also, that proposal was real! Congratulations to them!

01:49 to 01:54 - Celebrity Cameos! In order from right to left, American media personality Alix Earle, American actress Jessica Alba, American singer Cardi B, Colombian singer Karol G, Chilean-American actor Pedro Pascal, Puerto Rican singer/rapper Young Miko, and Venezuelan baseball player Ronald Acuña Jr. 

01:57 - Bad Bunny starts singing his hit, “Yo Perreo Sola” which is a song highlighting feminism, and saying that women don’t need men to dance, hence the song name, “I Dance Alone.”.

02:00 - We have a better view of the house that is featured in the performance. It is a representation of a Puertorican “casita” or a traditional village house. It has become an icon throughout Bad Bunny’s DtMF tour, as it has been featured in most/all of his concerts so far.

03:35 - After Bad Bunny falls through the “casita” or “house,” we have a better view of his outfit. On the top, “Ocasio” is a reference to his last name, and the number, 64, was a nod to the birth year of his Uncle Cutito that passed away.

03:47 - You’ve definitely heard this song before, it is Daddy Yankee’s iconic “Gasolina” song. Released in 2004, it has become one of the biggest Latin hits that has taken over the US and the world. It is one of the many tributes to iconic Puertorican figures whose work have extended far beyond the island.

03:58 - Latin America isn’t exactly LGBTQ+ friendly, so Bad Bunny’s incorporation of the pair in his halftime show is an effort to make people who identify with other genders and homosexuality more accepted. Latin America is slowly becoming more LGBTQ+ friendly, and Bad Bunny is an ally in that growing movement.

04:32 to 05:08 - If you’ve been on TikTok for at least 15 minutes, then you absolutely recognize this audio. In addition to that, Bad Bunny has an inspirational message to deliver: “If I'm here today... 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.” Lastly, at 04:56, Bad Bunny’s eyes wander away. We see why at 05:06, as there is a Mexican flag sticking out of one of the bushes on the right hand side of the screen. If you’ve seen the viral videos on TikTok, then you know that the bushes/trees during the Haltime Show were played by real people!

05:11 - Fun Fact, the couple shown here are actually together and got married! They are Bad Bunny megafans who invited him to their wedding, but he offered them to instead get married at his halftime show! Congratulations to them! By the way, just imagine saying that 70,000+ people attended your wedding, and millions of people saw it. Crazy!

05:20 - SHOCKER! It had been rumored that Cardi B would sing her hit with Bad Bunny, “I Like It” during his halftime show, but we got LADY GAGA instead! No one saw this coming, but her singing of “Die With a Smile” with salsa is a combination I never thought was possible. I really hope they make a song together, because it would be a hit! Also, Lady Gaga is wearing a dress designed by a Dominican-American designer based in NYC, featuring the colors of the Puertorican flag: Red, White, and LIGHT blue? I’ll talk a bit more later on what the light blue means on the Puertorican flag.

06:00 - Small comment, kudos to the dancers! The choreography was spot on, and you could tell they put their heart into it.

06:40 - As Bad Bunny begins his song, “BAILE INoLVIDABLE,” he delivers his iconic message, “While one is alive, one must love as much as one can.”

07:10 - The kids dancing is very accurate! At every Latinx party you go to, you will see everyone dancing, from kids to the elderly. Latinx culture is built so that everyone is a part of it, and no one is left out. 

07:17 to 07:19 - Another staple of Latin culture. The kid sleeping on the chairs is a childhood memory. In addition, the kids running around are also recognizable.

07:38 - THIS IS MY FAVORITE TRANSITION! The transition from “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” to “NUEVAYoL” is one for the ages. Also, “NUEVAYoL” is the Puertorican way of saying “New York.” You will notice a lot of New York culture here, pay attention! 

08:08 - The detail is insane! It looks straight out of something from Washington Heights and the Bronx, which is mentioned in the song. The corner store is a New York icon and it even has the “ATM” and “WE ACCEPT EBT” signs!

08:17 - On the right, we see the barber shop. Another iconic New York location. As we will see later, the detail is so granular that there is literally someone getting a haircut in there!

08:37 to 08:40 - The Bronx and Washington Heights mentioned! I don’t live there, but it is widely known that those two places have some of the most Puerto Rican rich neighborhoods not only in New York, but in the U.S.

09:01 - Bad Bunny mentions “Casa de Toñita.” The old lady serving him a shot is Maria Antonia Toñita Cay, better known as Toñita. She is the owner of Toñita's Caribbean Social Club in Brooklyn, which has been open since 1974. It began as a small, private club but has become a hub not only for Puertoricans living in NYC, but for the entire Latino community. I’ve been there once, and I absolutely recommend going there. It is located at 244 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11211.

09:07 to 09:12 - One of the most memorable moments from the halftime show was when Bad Bunny gave his Grammy Award for Album of the Year, which he won just a week before performing at the Superbowl, to a young boy. First of all, the initial reports that the boy was Liam Ramos, the five year old who was detained by ICE in Minnesota, are FALSE. As Bad Bunny’s team later confirmed, the boy was just a cast member. As for the symbolism, there is a lot to unpack here. The boy was meant to be interpreted as two things. The first interpretation was that the young boy was a representation of Bad Bunny’s younger self and his dreams, and Bad Bunny handing his grammy to the kid was a way to inspire other young, Latino children to achieve their dreams. Secondly, the boy receiving the award also emphasized the unity that Latinx culture has. The popular saying, “the win for one is a win for all” resonates throughout Latin America, and Bad Bunny handing his award to the boy is a way of communicating that message. 

09:35 - Another surprise guest! Ricky Martin was rumored to appear, and the rumors turned out to be true! Ricky Martin is another Puertorican artist who made it big in Puerto Rico and expanded his dominance into the U.S., primarily around the late 90s and early 2000s. It is another way Bad Bunny paid homage to Puertoricans who have made it big in the wider U.S. audience. Pay attention to the lyrics of the song he’s about to sing: “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii” which translates to “WHAT HAPPENED TO HAWAii.” It is a song warning of modern American colonialism, comparing it to the colonization of Hawaii. It is a warning to what may happen to Puerto Rico.

09:36 to 10:07 - I’ll let the lyrics speak for themselves: “They want to take away the river and also the beach. They want my neighborhood and they want grandma to leave. No, don't let go of the flag or forget the lelolai. I don't want them to do to you what happened to Hawaii.” Certainly a powerful message.

10:08 - The electrical poles sparking are a reference to the fragile and weak power grids in Puerto Rico. Bad Bunny sheds light on the issue that affects Puerto Rico, and doesn’t get covered by the media often.

10:46 - As we can see, Bad Bunny carries a Puertorican flag. BUT, notice how the color blue in the flag is a LIGHT blue. The normal Puertorican flag contains dark blue, which is associated with US statehood and territorial status. The Puertorican flag that contains light blue symbolizes independence, resistance, and the island's original 1895 design, representing the sky and Caribbean identity. It serves as a political statement against U.S. colonial influence, distinguishing itself from the dark blue shade adopted in 1952. The light blue flag has been used before, most notably in 1977, when Puertorican nationalists placed the Puertorican light blue flag on the Statue of Liberty, protesting against American colonialism on the island. The event was actually featured in Bad Bunny’s musical video of “NUEVAYoL,” and shows his affiliation with the independence movement.

11:47 - Bad Bunny begins singing one of his newer songs, “CAFé CON RON,” which adds a party atmosphere to the performance, showing the entire stage and setup of the show, which looks stunning from an aerial perspective.

12:03 - The flags come in! The flags of all of the countries and territories in the Americas are featured in the halftime show, including the US. Also, notice how the U.S. flag is alongside the Puertorican flag, not a coincidence. 

12:10 - God Bless America indeed! Bad Bunny starts the flag roll call, highlighting every major country and territory throughout the Americas.

12:20 - Notice the giant stadium billboard in the background, and the message: “THE ONLY THING MORE POWERFUL THAN HATE IS LOVE.”

12:38 - In case you missed it, the message on the football that Bad Bunny shows to the camera reads, “Together, We Are America.” As he shows the football, he also says, “We’re Still Here,” which is a reference to the immigrant and Hispanic/Latinx population living in the United States.

12:40 - Finally, Bad Bunny sings his massive hit from his latest album, “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (DtMF).”

13:09 - AND THAT’S IT! What a performance! I hope you all enjoyed it and have a different perspective on the Halftime Show than the one you had before reading this article. In such a politicized and polarized world, it is important to remember that we can still find beauty in some of the most controversial subjects. And I’ll end by repeating Bad Bunny’s famous quote: “THE ONLY THING MORE POWERFUL THAN HATE IS LOVE.”