Bad Bunny Has MAGA All Worked Up

As Bad Bunny continues to debar nan continental US connected his world circuit retired of fears of ICE raids, news that he’ll beryllium headlining nan Super Bowl LX halftime show has been met pinch a furious backlash from MAGA influencers who’ve complained that he “doesn’t singing successful English” and has been captious of Donald Trump.

The contention has escalated beyond societal media pinch Corey Lewandowski, advisor to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, threatening nan beingness of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) astatine nan arena to detain and deport undocumented immigrants. "There is obscurity that you tin supply safe haven to group who are successful this state illegally. Not nan Super Bowl and obscurity else," he told right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson connected The Benny Show. "We will find you. We will apprehend you. We will put you successful a detention installation and we will deport you, truthful cognize that that is simply a very existent business nether this administration."

The section exposes nan anatomy of manufactured outrage and erstwhile again positions America's largest sporting arena arsenic a battleground for nan country's personality politics.

The news, confirmed by nan NFL precocious Sunday night, quickly became substance for nan contention motor operating full-time connected platforms for illustration X. Within hours, a chorus of right-wing commentators and influencers activated a now-familiar script. Johnson branded him "a monolithic Trump hater" and an "anti-ICE activist.” Jack Posobiec, a salient Pizzagate promoter, took purpose astatine Jay-Z, whose institution Roc Nation produces nan event, arsenic nan designer of taste “engineering.” The "End Wokeness" account, pinch 4 cardinal followers, resorted to ocular mockery, posting an image of nan creator successful a dress successful consequence to nan announcement.

These attacks are not random; they are textbook strategies of a civilization warfare that seeks to mobilize its guidelines by identifying a symbolic enemy. In this case, Bad Bunny. Not only is he an creator who sings predominantly successful Spanish—a truth that influencer Mario Nawfal countered by saying that nan “average halftime spectator successful Des Moines doesn’t speak fluent reggaeton”—but his activism is explicit, accordant and straight antagonistic to nan ideological level of American conservatism.

Bad Bunny is unapologetically political

The hostility towards Bad Bunny is not rooted successful his music, but successful his message. His determination not to circuit successful nan United States, retired of a stated fearfulness that his fans will beryllium targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, is simply a governmental connection that fewer stars situation to make. “People from nan US could travel present to spot nan show. Latinos and Puerto Ricans of nan United States could besides recreation here, aliases to immoderate portion of nan world. But location was nan rumor of—like, fucking ICE could beryllium extracurricular [my concert]. And it’s thing that we were talking astir and very concerned about,” he said successful an interview pinch i-D magazine.

This stance transforms his concerts from specified intermezo events into imaginable sanctuaries, and his absence into an enactment of protest.

Bad Bunny has been an outspoken professional of Puerto Rico's position arsenic an unincorporated territory, which limits nan authorities and opportunities of its citizens. His activism has focused connected supporting nan island, wherever his 31-day residency generated a $400 cardinal economical impact, according to an estimate from Wells Fargo.