Just two months into the year, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, formally known as Bad Bunny, has changed history and created a new pathway of light for Latin and Hispanics all around the United States (U.S.).
From being announced as Spotify's 2025 Global Top Artist, winning Album of the Year at the 2026 Grammy Awards to headlining Super Bowl LX earning 128 million viewers, Bad Bunny shined a light to the start of the new year in contrast to the devastating year that Latinos had gone through in 2025.
On Feb. 1, Bad Bunny’s sixth solo studio album, “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS,” made history by becoming the first fully Spanish-language album to win Album of the Year at the 2026 Grammys. He also brought home Best Música Urbana Album and Best Global Music Performance, totaling up to three wins for the night.
During his acceptance speech for Best Música Urbana album, he began his speech by acknowledging the actions the U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have taken this past year, “Before I say thanks to God, I’m gonna say ICE out.” After a strong applause, he continued, “We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens, we are humans and we are Americans.” He continued to end his speech with “the only thing that is more powerful than hate is love. So please, we need to be different. If we fight, we have to do it with love. We don’t hate them, we love our people, we love our family, and that’s the way to do it, with love. Don’t forget that please.”
This comes following the Sept. 8, 2025 decision in Noem v. Vazquez Perdomo where the Supreme Court supported ICE’s use of racial profiling as a policing method based on factors such as their looks, the language they speak, where they reside, and their field of work. This decision has created a mass amount of problems within the U.S., which led to mass ICE raids in cities such as Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City and other cities across the U.S. As a result, a large number of Latino citizens have been targeted, even those with U.S. citizenship.
Bad Bunny took home The Academy’s highest award of the evening, Album of the Year, for “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.” He had dedicated his award to “all the immigrants that had left their homeland, their country, to follow their dreams. In Spanish: [To all the people that have been loved and lost, and to those that had the strength to continue, this award is for you…To all the Latinos in the world and the artists before me that allowed me to win this award, thank you so much.]
“DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” reflected and cherished Puerto Rican culture and the love and memories the artist has for his homeland, while also highlighting Puerto Rico’s socio-economic and infrastructure crises the island faces. Along with discussing the island’s complicated relationship with the U.S. and colonial status. Multiple songs on the album discuss the hardship the island faces due to tourism and politics.
On Feb. 8, Bad Bunny had headlined the Super Bowl LX halftime show as the first Spanish-language Latin solo artist, posing the stage in a cultural framework of Puerto Rico, New York City and similar Latin countries with scenes of sugar canes, a jewelry stand, piragua stand, older men playing dominoes, boxing, and nail technicians working and his “La Casita” set from his latest world tour — all cultural renditions of the Hispanic and Latino lifestyle. He sang his most famous songs including, “Titi Me Pregunto,” “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” and “NUEVAYoL.”
Most importantly, the topic of colonization has been an important stage set in the show, showcasing the problem of the widespread blackouts that have been reported since Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. It featured power poles short-circuited and Ricky Martin singing his rendition of “LO QUE LE PASÓ A HAWAii,” a song about the gentrification of Hawaii that resembles the current situation happening in Puerto Rico.
There were also references that many wouldn’t understand unless they grew up in the culture: the child sleeping at the wedding, the bodega set and Tonita, an iconic Brooklyn owner. Alongside Tonita, there were inclusions of other Hispanic celebrities like Cardi B, Pedro Pascal, Jessica Alba, Karol G, Young Miko, Xander Zayas and Emiliano Vargas shown in front of “La Casita” and the stage.
The most special aspect was the inclusivity and positivity that radiated from the show, highlighting the love that surrounds Latino culture. From the real-life wedding that was performed, to the announcement of all the North and South American countries where dancers of each descent had held up their respective flags. Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have been riddled with videos of families of different countries screaming happily at their country being called out, showing a momentous moment of unity between all Latino and American countries.
There was copious amounts of backlash that was presented since the Bad Bunny headlining announcement in late September, even with an announcement of a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) alternate halftime show featuring conservative singers speaking out against Bad Bunny being selected.
Regardless, Bad Bunny had made sure to come out on top against the hatred that had been roaming around the country, presenting his show with a sign of love, light, and hope. He made sure to signify the importance of cultural pride, and created a powerful shift in the Latino community against the current administration’s policies and racial profiling ICE agents.
As he had famously said, “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
Alyssa Ramos is the senior multimedia editor and can be reached at alyssa.ramos@ubspectrum.com
Amy Aracena is the managing editor and can be reached at amy.aracena@ubspectrum.com
Amy Aracena is the managing editor at The Spectrum. She enjoys reading slow-burn romance novels and drinking iced chai lattes whenever she can.
She can be found at @amyaracenaa on Instagram and @aaracena on TikTok.
Photo: Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
