Some fans were settling in to watch the Seattle Seahawks play the New England Patriots, but others were tuning in to see Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny take the Super Bowl stage for the halftime show.<\/p>\n
Bad Bunny headlined Sunday\u2019s performance, which some fans dubbed the \u201cBenito Bowl.\u201d The 31-year-old, born Benito Antonio Mart\u00ednez Ocasio, is the first Spanish-language solo artist to headline a halftime show.<\/p>\n
In Humboldt Park, Chicago\u2019s largest Puerto Rican neighborhood, organizers of the annual Fiestas Puertorrique\u00f1as hosted a watch party at their VIP Residencia pop-up space at 2701 W. Division St.<\/p>\n
An inflatable tropical-themed facade decorates the entrance to VIP Residencia Bar & Lounge in Humboldt Park for the \u201cBenito Bowl\u201d watch party. <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/p>\n Victor Hilitski\/For the Sun-Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The event drew dozens who cheered for the singer and sang along to his top reggaeton hits throughout the 13-minute performance. Instead of wearing their favorite team\u2019s jersey, partygoers wore Puerto Rican flags, Bad Bunny T-shirts and pavas<\/i>, traditional Puerto Rican straw hats.<\/p>\n Organizer Melissa Gomez said she wanted to create an event that would bring the community together, and Bad Bunny\u2019s performance provided the perfect occasion to do just that.<\/p>\n \u201cBad Bunny always has shown his love for his community. For Puerto Ricans and for all Latinos,\u201d Gomez said.<\/p>\n Football fans and fans of Puerto Rican super star Bad Bunny crowd the VIP Residencia Bar & Lounge in Humboldt Park; some wore traditional straw hats.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/p>\n Victor Hilitski\/For the Sun-Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n That message came through during his performance, which featured men, women and children on a set reminiscent of Puerto Rico. He closed the show with a parade of flags from countries representing North, Central and South America, ending with the message \u201cTogether, we are America.\u201d<\/p>\n The performance also included cameos from Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m feeling really so proud,\u201d said Evelyn Cato, 60, of Logan Square. \u201cDespite all of the negativity, he\u2019s brought communities together.\u201d<\/p>\n Bad Bunny performs during the halftime show of Super Bowl 60 between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday. The choice of the first Spanish-language entertainer to headline a halftime show sparked anger among conservatives, who staged a counter-program headlined by Kid Rock.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Bad Bunny\u2019s performance drew both anticipation and controversy. Many fans were eager to see him headline the show, but it also sparked backlash from conservatives. The singer has been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump\u2019s immigration policies and recently spoke out, saying \u201cICE out\u201d during his recent Grammy Awards acceptance speech.<\/p>\n Trump posted on social media that the performance was \u201cabsolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER!\u201d<\/p>\n Turning Point USA, the organization founded by Charlie Kirk, organized an alternative, \u201cAll-American\u201d halftime show that was promoted by Vice President J.D. Vance and featured headliner Kid Rock.<\/p>\n Gomez said there was \u201cno better choice\u201d for a halftime performer than Bad Bunny, who has been Spotify\u2019s top-streaming artist for four of the last six years.<\/p>\n A Bad Bunny cutout and large screens fill the VIP Residencia Bar & Lounge in Humboldt Park, where fans gathered for the Super Bowl halftime show, which featured Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/p>\n Victor Hilitski\/For the Sun-Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always loved watching the performances, no matter who it is,\u201d she said. \u201cThe Super Bowl halftime has always been the top-charting artist at the time, and that\u2019s Benito right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Bad Bunny first appeared on the Super Bowl stage during the 2020 halftime show, when he joined headliners Shakira and Jennifer Lopez as a guest performer.<\/p>\n Erika Latines, 49, who showed up at the party in her favorite Bad Bunny T-shirt, said the singer is one of the few artists who uses their platform to speak out against injustice.<\/p>\n \u201cHis messages are not just for Latinos, it\u2019s for humanity,\u201d Latines said.<\/p>\n Latines, who lives on the South Side, said Chicago \u201cneeded\u201d to be able to gather and celebrate after several neighborhoods were recently targeted by Trump\u2019s aggressive deportation campaign that saw hundreds of federal agents fanning out across neighborhoods, stoking fear.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Super Bowl brings us together, not because of the NFL, but because of who we are as a community,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th) was among the crowd and said she joined to show support for a small business and pride for her Puerto Rican heritage.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a good day to be Puerto Rican,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Fuentes also added it was important for Latino communities to share in joy after communities across the country have been \u201cterrorized\u201d by the Trump administration.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an exciting day to resist and to show the world that Latinos belong here,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n ![\"Football](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/23aa91c\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5384x3589+0+0\/resize\/840x560!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F4b%2Fab%2F89578ca24dc69bc8cd07b3f16344%2Fbenitobowl-260208-8.jpg\")
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