Bad Bunny used one of the largest stages in the world to highlight Latinx-owned small businesses during his historic 2026 Super Bowl halftime show.
The Puerto Rican singer and rapper made history on Sunday, February 8, by being the first Spanish-speaking Latin artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime performance.
While delivering a high-energy set, the 31-year-old artist also set out to celebrate businesses rooted in the community, incorporating them directly into the show.
while acting Marmoset Asked MeBad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, walked past a row of vendor booths before stopping at Villas Tacos, a well-known taco joint in Los Angeles.
He greeted founder Victor Villa, who was behind the taco cart during the livestream, according to Eyewitness News.
The moment quickly became a point of pride for the company, which shared its excitement online.
“WHO SAW VILLA TACOS AT THE @badbunnypr 2026 SUPERBOWL HALFTIME SHOW?!?!” the restaurant wrote on Instagram, celebrating the unexpected global exposure.
Villa later reflected on how personal the moment was for him and revealed that Bad Bunny is a true fan of the restaurant.
“We sold our first taco in the front yard of my grandmother’s house in Highland Park over 8 years ago and I feel like every taco along the way brought me here,” he wrote on Instagram.
“Today. By this time! I couldn’t have sold that first taco if my parents hadn’t made the difficult decision to leave their homeland in search of a better life and immigrate to the United States.”
Bad Bunny also supported another long-established community business during his performance. He was seen greeting María Antonia “Toñita” Cay, owner of Toñita’s Caribbean Social Club, while having a drink at her booth.
Flashes shared on Toñita’s Instagram Stories showed the exchange, highlighting the venue’s role as a cultural center that has served Puerto Rican food and community gatherings since the 1970s.
Cay later posed for a photo with Bad Bunny and Ricky Martin, who made a surprise appearance during the halftime show, performing the headliner’s song. WHAT HAPPENED TO HAWAii.
Attention was also focused on what the global star wore for the historic performance.
Instead of his usual high fashion designers, Bad Bunny opted for a custom look from Zara.
The cream-toned ensemble included a collared shirt and tie, chinos and a sports jersey with the name “Ocasio” and the number 64, believed to be a tribute to his mother, Lysaurie Ocasio, who was born in 1964.
While the performance had strong cultural symbolism, Bad Bunny did not make any explicit political statements during the show.
Despite that, President Donald Trump, who did not attend the Super Bowl, publicly criticized the set on his social media platform, calling it one of the worst halftime performances and dismissing it as not representing American values.
Trump also commented that he couldn’t understand the lyrics.
Instead, supporters of the former president organized a separate event, the All-American Halftime Show, which featured Kid Rock as a headliner.
Even amid the criticism, Bad Bunny’s halftime show stood out for its celebration of heritage, culture and community, using the Super Bowl spotlight not just for the music, but to elevate Latinx-owned small businesses to a global stage.
