Whether or not you speak Spanish, there's no misunderstanding what Bad Bunny meant

"In the final moment of his set on February 8, Bad Bunny, holding a football that read "Together, we are America," said "God bless America" before listing the countries of South America, North America, and some of the Caribbean. He was flanked by flags of all of these countries as the Jumbotron behind him displayed the message, in English, "THE ONLY THING MORE POWERFUL THAN HATE IS LOVE.""

"Being a fan of who doesn't speak more than the most rudimentary Spanish means you miss a lot of the nuance of what he's saying. He knows this; in an earlier this week, he said that even a lot of his fellow Latinos miss out on what he's saying because he often raps in Puerto Rican slang. When asked how he felt about that, he trilled, "I don't care!""

"This is not a new thought, but it is one that deserves to be repeated, especially as the MAGA wing of U.S. politics pushes for an increasingly narrow definition of who gets to claim to be an American. These are people who were upset that Bad Bunny was selected to be the halftime performer, and upset again by his plain refusal to sing in English for the event. Turning Point USA was angry enough to plan a rival halftime set that it streamed on YouTube."

Bad Bunny often raps in Puerto Rican slang, so non-Spanish-speaking fans and some Latinos miss lyrical nuance; he has said he does not care. The music, arrangements, visual storytelling, and stagecraft provide enjoyment regardless of language. At the Super Bowl LX halftime close, Bad Bunny held a football reading "Together, we are America," said "God bless America," listed countries across South and North America and parts of the Caribbean, and displayed flags and the Jumbotron message "THE ONLY THING MORE POWERFUL THAN HATE IS LOVE." Born in Puerto Rico, he is American; America refers to multiple countries and continents, not only the United States. MAGA-aligned critics objected to his selection and refusal to sing in English, prompting Turning Point USA to stream a rival "All-American Halftime Show."

Read at Jezebel