Super Bowl viewers were left ‘sickened’ after social media users began circulating English translations of Spanish lyrics from Bad Bunny’s music following his headline-making halftime performance.
Following the show, critics branded the content ‘pure degeneracy’ and questioned why the NFL put the global superstar on its biggest stage.
The backlash erupted hours after the show, when conservative commentator Megan Basham posted screenshots of translated lyrics, which she described as ‘the most obscene lyrics ever to be performed at a Super Bowl halftime.’
‘These are the lyrics Christians are being told they should have embraced and celebrated,’ Basham wrote, adding that she was disturbed by claims that kids would ‘get a kick out of hearing this Spanish.’
In a follow-up post, Basham acknowledged that some lyrics were altered for the Super Bowl broadcast but insisted that portions remained intact – and that the artist’s broader catalog was still being celebrated publicly.
Others quickly echoed her reaction.
Super Bowl fans were left ‘sickened’ after social media users began circulating English translations of lyrics from Bad Bunny’s music following his historic halftime performance
‘Worse than I realized. Pure degeneracy,’ Andrew Kolvet, the spokesman for Turning Point USA, wrote in response to the translations circulating online.
Another X user said they were ‘clutching pearls’ after reading the lyrics, describing them as lacking ‘subtlety’ and ‘class.’
Basham doubled down, replying that it was ‘absolutely sick,’ while pushing back against critics who accused her of attacking Puerto Rican culture.
The controversy soon broadened beyond Bad Bunny himself, with commentators debating whether songs performed in Spanish receive less scrutiny because many viewers don’t understand the lyrics.
‘Language barriers do a lot of heavy lifting,’ one X user wrote, arguing that explicit content often goes unnoticed when audiences don’t translate it. ‘The content doesn’t change just because the language does.’
They went on to share multiple examples of Spanish lyrics from Bad Bunny’s catalog alongside blunt English translations, stressing that they were not metaphors or innuendo, but straightforward sexual references that would provoke backlash if performed in English.
In his track, Safaera, Bad Bunny boast about explicit sexual acts, drug use and casual hookups, with repeated references to arousal and sex performed while intoxicated.
One widely shared translation paraphrases a line suggesting that a woman’s partner is inadequate if he does not perform a specific sexual act.
Following the show, critics branded the content ‘pure degeneracy’ and questioned why the NFL put the global superstar on its biggest stage
The backlash erupted hours after the show, when Megan Basham posted screenshots of translated lyrics, which she described as ‘the most obscene lyrics ever to be performed at a Super Bowl halftime’
‘These are the lyrics Christians are being told they should have embraced and celebrated,’ Basham wrote, adding that she was disturbed by claims that kids would ‘get a kick out of hearing this Spanish’
Other tracks of his, like Tití Me Preguntó, reference juggling multiple sexual partners and genital size.
Still, not everyone agreed with the outrage.
Progressive commentator Christopher Webb questioned why the religious right was fixated on lyric translations rather than the show’s broader themes, which he said included marriage, family, small business and community.
His post was swiftly rebutted by conservative pundit Liz Wheeler, who challenged him to identify which lyrics actually celebrated those values.
Others accused critics of hypocrisy, pointing out that American rock and hip-hop artists with explicit English-language lyrics have long been featured at major events without sparking comparable outrage.
One viral post contrasted Bad Bunny with Kid Rock, who headlined Turning Point USA’s MAGA-friendly halftime show on Sunday, claiming the latter had faced less backlash despite past controversial lyrics.
While some joked that they were ‘wondering why there were no subtitles’ during the show, others insisted the performance was ‘fun, upbeat, & more patriotic than MAGA understands.’
‘Showing off the culture, family, & togetherness was incredible! It was respectful & creative.’ Another wrote: ‘It was so uplifting, I really needed that.’
The controversy over Bad Bunny’s halftime appearance comes amid an already heated reaction to the show, which also drew criticism from Donald Trump.
While some joked that they were ‘wondering why there were no subtitles’ during the show, others insisted the performance was ‘fun, upbeat, & more patriotic than MAGA understands’
On Sunday evening, Trump said the rapper’s gig was ‘absolutely terrible’ and that there was ‘nothing inspirational’ about choosing a star who didn’t perform in English.
‘Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting, especially for young children that are watching from throughout the U.S.A., and all over the World’, he said in his excoriating review on Truth Social.
‘It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence’.
Bad Bunny was joined by Lady Gaga, Pedro Pascal, Ricky Martin, Jessica Alba, Karol G and Cardi B as he headlined the halftime show at Sunday’s Super Bowl LX where the Seattle Seahawks trounced the New England Patriots by 29–13.
The football field at the Levi’s Stadium in California was transformed into a sugarcane plantation and included domino players, a Latino wedding and utility poles for him to climb up to perform.
Bad Bunny, a vocal opponent of Trump’s ICE agency, listed countries through North and South America while holding a football with the words, ‘Together, we are America’ written on it. A message on the big screen then read: ‘The only thing more powerful than hate is love.’
On Sunday evening, Trump said the rapper’s gig was ‘absolutely terrible’ and that there was ‘nothing inspirational’ about choosing a star who didn’t perform in English
At one point he also placed his hand on a young boy’s head and handed him a Grammy. Viewers initially thought it was Liam Conejo Ramos, the five-year-old who was detained by ICE agents last month. But in fact it was a young actor.
While fans called it a love letter to Latin and Hispanic culture, the performance angered Donald Trump who called it ‘an affront to the Greatness of America’.
He wrote: ‘This “Show” is just a “slap in the face” to our Country, which is setting new standards and records every single day – including the Best Stock Market and 401(k)s in History!
‘There is nothing inspirational about this mess of a Halftime Show and watch, it will get great reviews from the Fake News Media, because they haven’t got a clue of what is going on in the REAL WORLD.’
Following the show, Bad Bunny, who has more than 52 million Instagram followers, removed all the posts on his social media, including his profile photo.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Bad Bunny’s representatives for comment, but has not heard back, at this time.
