Quinnipiac University students gathered in the Communications, Computing and Engineering Building on Feb. 10 to discuss their thoughts on rapper Benito Ocasio, also known as Bad Bunny’s performance at the Super Bowl LX halftime show.
The event was part of “Unfiltered Commversations” series which aim to foster a safe space for students to converse on a variety of topics. This particular discussion opened with some of Bad Bunny’s greatest musical hits playing in the background.
The conversation began on the topic of performance quality. Students and faculty were impressed by his stage presence, with some noting that they especially loved how the performance served as a tribute to his Puerto Rican roots.
Being of Spanish descent herself, Associate Professor of Journalism Margarita Diaz was especially touched by this performance, sharing that Bad Bunny brought tears to her eyes by the end of the show.
“I get goosebumps just thinking about it,” Diaz said. “He was celebrating, but he was also calling attention to things that are more critical… For me, it was very personal, very emotional.”
The discussion then veered onto the topic of popular singer-songwriter Lady Gaga’s unexpected appearance during the halftime show and continued with chatter about her relationship with Ocasio and her role in the performance.
With Gaga’s appearance in this year’s Super Bowl and some regard to the current political climate and immigration policies, Diaz then begged the question to students, who really gets to be American?
“For the greater part of the last couple months, years, (it) hasn’t really mattered what you identify as. It only comes down to what you’re seen as, because people identifying as American haven’t exactly saved lives in the last couple months,” third-year Journalism and Spanish double major Anthony Salvato said. “So I think it’s important for this halftime show to get out there and just kind of like what he did.”
Diaz then chimed in, questioning what it really means to be considered an American in today’s society.
“We stumbled on that a little bit like Lady Gaga is American, but so is (Bad Bunny) to some extent, right, at least in terms of citizenship, but you know, who gets to claim American identity?” Diaz said. “What does it mean when you are Puerto Rican, but you’re also an American citizen, and people don’t necessarily see you as American, right? Gaga speaks English, and we immediately associate her with being American, but the Puerto Ricans who speak Spanish from the island…are not necessarily seen as Americans.”
On a similar topic, there was also debate about whether the NFL’s decision to have Bad Bunny headline the halftime show was a political move or just an agenda push.
Some students argued that it could have been a simple marketing decision by the NFL to expand its brand into a different region, however many other artists who sing in Spanish have global recognition.
Others pointed out that Ocasio has always been political. His music often contains political undertones, and he has also released songs that are essentially protest songs on the album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.”
Given his very vocal criticism of President Donald Trump, the NFL’s decision to have him headline one of the biggest sporting events in the world was a “calculated risk,” according to Diaz.
Interactive Media and Communications graduate student Erin Russel shared some of her thoughts on the NFL’s pick for the halftime show.
“It was a really good pick because it’s moving away from more English speaking halftime shows, but also showing that we have viewers that speak Spanish, we want to include them too,” Russel said. “Even if you don’t speak the language, you can still dance and you can still enjoy it. So I think he was a really good pick, because he is a great performer, and he did have (the) global relevancy that it needed.”
This year’s halftime show came to a memorable close when Bad Bunny emerged from a sugar cane field of performers proudly waving a Puerto Rican flag. Behind him, projected on a jumbotron was a message reading, “THE ONLY THING MORE POWERFUL THAN HATE IS LOVE.”
Some wished Bad Bunny had ended his performance with more of a “swing” at the current administration, similar to what punk rock band Green Day did during their opening performance at this year’s Super Bowl, with their setlist including some of the band’s most politically targeted releases.
“He’s not pushing this personal agenda. He just wants people that look like him to be able to live here and not be killed in the street. So it’s not, I don’t think it’s too crazy to take a big swing,” Salvato said.
The event closed with students and faculty throwing around ideas for next year’s halftime show and the musical performers they hope to see take the stage.
