Hip-hop mogul Jay-Z has dismissed criticism surrounding the selection of Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny for the 2026 Super Bowl halftime performance.
When approached by TMZ in New York City on Monday evening, the rapper defended the controversial choice with characteristic brevity.
"They love him. Don't let them fool you," Jay-Z stated, brushing off suggestions of widespread opposition to the booking.
The music executive, whose entertainment company Roc Nation collaborates with the NFL to produce the prestigious halftime spectacle, declined to elaborate further.
Bad Bunny was a controversial choice to headline the Super Bowl halftime show
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When pressed for additional details, he responded: "I ain't got no scoops for you."
The announcement has sparked fierce opposition from prominent conservative figures, with President Donald Trump leading the charge against the 31-year-old performer's selection.
"I've never heard of him," Trump declared during a Newsmax interview. "I don't know who he is. I don't know why they're doing it. It's, like, crazy."
The president subsequently labelled the decision "absolutely ridiculous."
Former racing driver Danica Patrick joined the chorus of disapproval, taking issue with the artist's predominantly Spanish-language repertoire.
Jay-Z's Roc-Nation are in charge of producing the halftime show
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Writing on X, she argued that "no songs in English should not be allowed at one of America's highest rated television events of the year."
Patrick later expanded her critique during an appearance on Steve Bannon's podcast, acknowledging Bad Bunny's technical American citizenship whilst emphasising her inability to sing along to his music.
The performer, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, has attracted controversy through his outspoken stance on American immigration enforcement.
Last month, he revealed his decision to avoid touring the United States due to concerns about Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence at venues.
"But there was the issue of, like, f***ing ICE could be outside [my concert]," he told i-D magazine, explaining his apprehension about potential detention of concert-goers.
The Grammy winner has also documented what he described as immigration raids in Puerto Rico, posting footage to social media. In one video, he identified vehicles he claimed belonged to ICE agents operating in Carolina, east of San Juan.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has mounted a robust defence of the selection, acknowledging the inevitability of controversy whilst expressing confidence in the upcoming spectacle.
Roger Goodell has defended the decision to allow Bad Bunny to perform
| PA"I'm not sure we've ever selected an artist where we didn't have some blowback or criticism," Goodell remarked, noting the challenge of satisfying "literally hundreds of millions of people."
The commissioner highlighted Bad Bunny's status as "one of the leading and most popular entertainers in the world," pointing to his extraordinary streaming success with more than 81 million monthly Spotify listeners.
Bad Bunny has hit out at ICE in the past
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The artist's recent albums have consistently dominated the Billboard 200 charts.
The performance is scheduled for 8 February 2026 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.