In just a decade, Bad Bunny has gone from a young upstart to headlining the biggest stage in music. Along the way, he has become the face of Latin music’s soaring popularity, as well as one of the most streamed artists in the world. He also has not shied away from politics, particularly with his outspoken criticism of the second Trump administration’s immigration policies. That brought some controversy to his selection to perform at the Super Bowl, but the 31-year-old singer/rapper/songwriter tried to downplay any concerns in the days before the game.
“It’s going to be fun,” Bad Bunny said about the halftime show during an interview with Apple Music on Thursday. “It’s going to be easy. People only have to worry about dance. I know that I told them that they had four months to learn Spanish. They don’t even have to learn Spanish. It’s better if they learn to dance.”
Here are the moments that brought Bad Bunny to pop music’s pinnacle.
Early Collaborations
Bad Bunny catapulted into the mainstream, in part, through catchy collaborations with pop stars. In 2018, he tapped Drake to perform in Spanish for the song “Mía” on Bad Bunny’s debut album, “X 100PRE.” The track was a landmark moment in introducing Latin music to a wider audience. “Te Guste” showcased Bad Bunny teaming with Jennifer Lopez.
Bad Bunny’s largest team effort that year, though, was on Cardi B’s “I Like It,” also featuring the Colombian star J Balvin. The Latin trap-infused anthem became the top streaming song on Cardi B’s debut album, “Invasion of Privacy.”
First of Many Awards
Bad Bunny has come to be a regular presence at award shows over the past decade. He earned his first Latin Grammy nominations in 2017 and 2018 in the best urban fusion/performance category with songs like “Si Tu Novio Te Deja Sola” and “Sensualidad” that boosted his early appeal.
In 2018, he drew a Grammy nomination for his “I Like It” feature. The following year, he captured his first Latin Grammy when “X 100PRE” won best urban music album.
Pandemic Performance in New York
In September 2020, pandemic-era restrictions were still widely in effect and live music was mostly nonexistent. That’s when Bad Bunny memorably brought entertainment to the lockdown when he performed on a bus as it wove around New York City. The livestream was watched by around 10 million viewers.
‘Saturday Night Live’
Bad Bunny performed “La Noche de Anoche” with Rosalía and “Te Deseo Lo Mejor” in his first “Saturday Night Live” musical performance on Feb. 20, 2021.
He was the host and musical guest in October 2023, before serving as the musical guest for the finale of the show’s 50th season in May 2025. When “S.N.L.” returned for its 51st season last October, Bad Bunny hosted the premiere.
During the monologue for that most recent show, Bad Bunny addressed the furor over his halftime gig. In English, he told the audience that he was happy to perform for everyone at the event before using Spanish to add: “Especially all the Latinos and Latinas across the world, and here, in the United States, all those who have worked to open doors.”
He ended the monologue by returning to English: “And if you didn’t understand what I just said, you have four months to learn.”
First Super Bowl Appearance
During this week’s Apple Music interview, Bad Bunny claimed he was working through anxiety about his approaching Super Bowl gig by eating smash burgers and thinking about his set at 4 a.m.
However, this will not mark his first Super Bowl halftime appearance.
In 2020, Bad Bunny joined as a guest to the headliners Jennifer Lopez and Shakira in a celebration of Latin culture. Bad Bunny performed his “I Like It” verse and united with Shakira for the Spanish song “Chantaje.”
WWE Stardom
Major stars such as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and John Cena made their names as wrestlers in the WWE before crossing over to other forms of entertainment. Bad Bunny took the opposite tack.
He performed the song “Booker T,” an ode to the celebrated wrestler of the same name, at the Royal Rumble event in early 2021, before making his in-ring debut a few months later at WrestleMania 37. To the surprise of many, Bad Bunny showed a natural flair and athleticism for wrestling, executing a complicated flip piledriver nicknamed the “Bunny Destroyer,” while teaming with Damian Priest to defeat the Miz and John Morrison.
He has impressed in his other WWE matches, the last against Priest in a physical San Juan Street Fight at 2023’s Backlash.
Leading the Bill at Coachella
In 2023, Bad Bunny became the first Latino solo artist to headline Coachella when he appeared on the marquee with the R&B crooner Frank Ocean and the K-pop girl group Blackpink. Bad Bunny delivered a memorable two-hour performance almost entirely in Spanish.
From ‘Bullet Train’ to ‘Happy Gilmore 2’
Bad Bunny has not limited his acting roles to “Saturday Night Live.” In recent years, he has appeared in several films, including as an assassin in “Bullet Train” (2022), a drug dealer and confidante in “Cassandro” (2023), a gang member in “Caught Stealing” (2025), and a busboy and caddie in “Happy Gilmore 2” (2025).
“When I’m performing in the stadium, everyone is watching me,” Bad Bunny told “Today.” “When you are in a movie set, it’s very personal. It’s like me and the actors. You know that there’s a camera, but sometimes you forget about. I think that’s when you really get into the role and get into the scene and get into the story.”
Puerto Rico Residency
In July, Bad Bunny started a three-month residency at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, with the first nine of the shows reserved for locals. The residency boosted Puerto Rico’s economy during months that are typically slow because of a drop in tourism during hurricane season. The shows drew an estimated 600,000 attendees and were expected to have a direct economic impact of $250 million, according to Moody’s Analytics.
During a recent interview with i-D magazine, Bad Bunny explained that one of the reasons he chose Puerto Rico to host the residency was out of fear that ICE would be at shows in the United States. “It’s something that we were talking about and very concerned about,” he said.
Making Grammys History
Bad Bunny won in three categories at this year’s Grammy Awards, including album of the year for “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” the first time a Spanish-language album has captured the ceremony’s top prize.
His triumphant night may be most remembered for his speech accepting the award for best música urbána album. Bad Bunny was one of several music stars who spoke out against ICE during the awards ceremony.
“Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say ‘ICE out,’” Bad Bunny said. “We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans, and we are Americans.”
His speech received a standing ovation from the star-studded audience at Crypto.com Arena.
Jonathan Abrams is a Times reporter who writes about the intersections of sports and culture and the changing cultural scenes in the South.
The post The Moments That Made Bad Bunny a Super Bowl Halftime Headliner appeared first on New York Times.
