Code Switch Bad Bunny, resistance, and the Super Bowl halftime show
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Feb 7, 2026 Vanessa Diaz, college professor and scholar of Puerto Rican culture and politics. Petra Rivera-Rideau, college professor and Bad Bunny scholar of Puerto Rican music and culture. They discuss Bad Bunny as a symbol of Puerto Rican resistance. They debate his Super Bowl performance, political choices like speaking English, cultural impact, backlash, and how music teaches Puerto Rico’s relationship with the U.S.
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A Cultural And Economic Milestone
- Bad Bunny's residency and album have had major economic and cultural impact in Puerto Rico.
- Petra and Vanessa frame his Super Bowl halftime appearance as a significant moment of pride for Puerto Rico.
From Syllabus To Family TV Night
- Vanessa Diaz and Petra Rivera-Rideau created a college syllabus about Bad Bunny's work.
- Petra mentions families in Puerto Rico planning to watch the halftime show together, showing his cross-generational appeal.
Resistance Rooted In Colonial History
- Puerto Rican art and music often function as resistance because of centuries of colonialism.
- Vanessa Diaz argues Bad Bunny's activism emerges from that broader cultural and historical context.
