Bad Bunny is a global superstar who makes headlines for many reasons: His successful music career, his bold fashion choices, his SNL appearances, his activism and the fact that he’s performing at the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Here’s what to know.
Who is Bad Bunny?
A native of Bayamón, Puerto Rico, his given name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio. He will be the first solo Latino artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show.
The 31-year-old artist, known as the “King of Latin Trap,” was named Billboard’s Artist of the Year in 2022. Bad Bunny’s career began to take off in 2016 after releasing his song “Diles” and was featured on Cardi B’s No. 1 single “I Like It” in 2018.
Bad Bunny’s awards
Bad Bunny has received 16 nominations at the Grammy Awards, winning six, and 52 nominations at the Latin Grammy Awards, winning 17.
He won five Latin Grammys in November 2025, including for album of the year for his latest album, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.”
Bad Bunny wins Album of the Year at 2026 Grammys
Bad Bunny made history when his album “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” won the 2026 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, making it the first Spanish-language album to win the award.
He also took home the awards for best global music performance and best música urbana album.
Bad Bunny SNL and acting appearances
Bad Bunny made his SNL debut as a musical guest in 2021. In 2023, he hosted the show for the first time and was also the musical guest. His second time hosting took place in October 2025.
Several sketches he was in have gone viral, including the sketch “Protective Mom 2” where Pedro Pascal plays an overprotective mother to cast-member Marcello Hernandez, while Bad Bunny plays his aunt.
Outside of SNL, Bad Bunny has also dabbled in acting, making appearances in movies including “Bullet Train” with Brad Pitt, “Caught Stealing” with Austin Butler and “Happy Gilmore 2” with Adam Sandler.
Bad Bunny activism
Bad Bunny has used his platform as a worldwide superstar and his music to champion many social justice issues.
He has long been an outspoken advocate for the Latino community, Puerto Rican independence, the LGBTQ+ community and challenged gender norms.
Bad Bunny has also used his platform to speak out against xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, gender discrimination, police brutality, the Trump administration and more.
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“We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans, and we are Americans,” Bad Bunny said in his Grammy acceptance speech on Feb. 1. “I know it’s tough to not hate these days. And I was thinking, sometimes we get contaminated. The hate gets more powerful with more hate.
“The only thing that is more powerful than hate is love. So please, we need to be different. If we fight, we have to do it with love. We don’t hate them; we love our people. We love our family, and that’s the way to do it — with love. Don’t forget that, please.”
¿Quién es Bad Bunny? Halftime con sabor latino
Bad Bunny, cuyo nombre real es Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, es uno de los artistas latinos más influyentes del mundo y una figura central de la música urbana global. Nacido en Puerto Rico, el cantante y compositor ha redefinido el reguetón y el trap latino con una estética que mezcla rebeldía, sensibilidad y orgullo cultural.
En el Super Bowl, su aparición promete no pasar desapercibida: se espera que luzca un estilo audaz y cuidadosamente construido que refleje su identidad artística y su constante ruptura con los moldes tradicionales de la moda masculina. Más allá de la música, Bad Bunny se proyecta como un símbolo cultural que conecta el deporte, el entretenimiento y la representación latina en uno de los escenarios más vistos de Estados Unidos.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Bad Bunny speaks out against ICE in Grammy speech ahead of Super Bowl performance
Reporting by Katie Wiseman, Boris Q’va and Nick Brinkerhoff, USA TODAY NETWORK / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
