A decade ago, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio was a college student bagging groceries in a supermarket in Puerto Rico. On Sunday, Ocasio, now known as Bad Bunny, will headline the most viewed musical performance in the world — the Super Bowl halftime show.
That’s what the American dream looks like.
But since the NFL chose Bad Bunny for this coveted spot last year, white supremacist backlash to his selection has been ferocious.
Like President Trump, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called the decision “terrible,” adding that the league should have gone with country singer Lee Greenwood, best known for the nationalistic anthem “God Bless the USA,” because he would appeal to “a broader audience.” Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security secretary, said that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents would “be all over” the Super Bowl.
Bad Bunny is the world’s biggest musical artist. Last year, he surpassed Taylor Swift as Spotify’s most streamed musician, with nearly 20 billion streams. He’s fresh off a historic Grammy night that saw him win several awards, including album of the year for Debí Tirar Más Fotos.
His much-anticipated Super Bowl performance could surpass the all-time record of 133.5 million viewers set last year by Kendrick Lamar.
But much of the noise about Bad Bunny’s performance stems from this rancid political moment and the ugly conversations about who should be considered an American.
Born in Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny is an American because the Caribbean island is a US territory. It’s that simple. But that fact continues to elude a lot of people who believe — or insist — that Puerto Rico is a foreign country.
For a recent story in The Athletic, a New York Times sports publication, NFL players were asked how they felt about Bad Bunny as halftime performer at the game between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. While a majority had no problem with it, an unnamed NFL player said, “I always think it should be an American. I think they’re trying too hard with this international stuff.”
Except that halftime performers haven’t always been American. The list of foreign performers includes Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, U2, Rihanna, Shakira, and Coldplay. I can’t recall anyone, let alone a president, denouncing any of them as a “terrible” choice.
Trump’s enmity isn’t only about Bad Bunny being proudly Puerto Rican or performing only in Spanish at a time when federal immigration agents are routinely and recklessly targeting, brutalizing, and detaining Latinos.
Bad Bunny also represents the most hated figure in MAGA’s world — a person of color who is an outspoken and ardent Trump critic. Last Sunday, when he accepted the Grammy for Best Música Urbana Album, the first thing he said, in English, was “Before I say thanks to God, I’m gonna say, ‘ICE out,’” which received a loud and sustained ovation.
“We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens,” Bad Bunny said in his speech. “We are humans and we are Americans.”
MAGA’s response to Bad Bunny and another performer at this year’s Super Bowl — Green Day, the punk stalwarts who have led profane anti-Trump chants during their concerts? The saddest halftime alternative show ever.
Even with months to plan, the best that conservatives could come up with was what Turning Point USA, the right-wing organization, is calling the “All American Halftime Show” with Kid Rock as its headliner. He’ll be joined by an all-country lineup featuring Brantley Gilbert, Gabby Barrett, and Lee Brice.
Halftime show alternatives aren’t new. In years past, there have been special episodes of popular programs, and, for more than two decades, Animal Planet has aired the “Puppy Bowl,” running at the same time as the game and featuring adorable, adoptable dogs romping on a tiny football field.
But TPUSA is values signaling by calling its show a celebration of “faith, family, and freedom,” as if Bad Bunny is the antithesis of attributes that can only be claimed by conservatives. Anyone looking for a politics-free halftime performance won’t find it in this Trump administration-approved show. Its very existence is steeped in petty politics.
Meanwhile, Bad Bunny is too big to be canceled by Trump supporters. His story represents so much of what this country loves to tout — a young man from humble beginnings who worked hard, achieved his dreams beyond his wildest imagination, and uses his platform to uplift others.
Between the Super Bowl’s second and third quarters, there will be two halftime shows. But only the one viewed by hundreds of millions worldwide will reflect the best of America.
Renée Graham is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at renee.graham@globe.com.