Dangerous Bunny helped Saturday Night time Reside kick off its 51st season on Oct. 4 and took time to deal with conservative critics of his upcoming 2026 Tremendous Bowl Halftime efficiency.
Dangerous Bunny, whose actual title is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, took to the stage in NY for the primary time since making the choice to not deliver his massively standard live performance tour to US cities as a result of menace of ICE raids. He used the present’s platform to deal with the rampant racism and ignorance that adopted his historic Tremendous Bowl announcement.
“You might not know however I’m doing the Tremendous Bowl Halftime present and I’m very blissful,” he stated. “And I feel everybody may be very blissful about it, even Fox Information. No, however actually I’m very excited to be doing the Tremendous Bowl and I do know that individuals all all over the world, who love my music, are additionally blissful.”
He continued, in Spanish, saying,
“Particularly for all Latinos and Latinas all over the world, and for these right here within the U.S. for each one who has labored laborious and opened doorways for others. This achievement will not be solely mine, it’s a shared accomplishment that demonstrates the legacy and contributions now we have made on this nation one thing that nobody can take away or erase. And should you didn’t perceive that, you’ve 4 months to study.”
Heard you, señor!
It was additionally the primary time within the present’s historical past {that a} performer closed a season after which was introduced again to assist open the subsequent, NBC Information experiences. Dangerous Bunny has appeared on the present three different occasions along with his first look being in 2020; nevertheless, his newest internet hosting duties appeared to ship a giant message to detractors that he has no plans to relent to the onslaught of negativity.
Throughout a podcast look, Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem stoked the flames of division round Dangerous Bunny’s Tremendous Bowl efficiency saying that ICE Brokers can be “throughout” the large sport festivities to make arrests, NBC Information experiences. This adopted President Trump‘s impassioned response to the announcement wherein he known as the NFL’s alternative of Dangerous Bunny “shameful.” Trump’s advisor, Corey Lewandowski, additionally had alternative phrases for the league throughout an look on the The Benny Present the place he echoed Noem’s threats of ICE arrests.
“There’s nowhere you may present secure haven to people who find themselves on this nation illegally,” he stated, in line with VICE Information. “Not the Tremendous Bowl and nowhere else. We’ll discover you and apprehend you and put you in a detention facility and deport you. Know that may be a very actual scenario underneath this administration, which is opposite to the way it was. It’s so shameful they’ve determined to select any person who appears to hate America a lot to signify them on the Halftime Present, there are many nice bands and leisure individuals who may very well be enjoying at that present that will be bringing folks collectively and never separating them.”
It’s price noting that the NFL entered into an settlement with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation again in 2019, giving the corporate free rein over the league’s reside music technique. The contract was stated to be a part of the NFL’s Encourage Change initiative, which was the league’s considerably apologetic response to the way it dealt with Colin Kaepernick’s courageous stance towards police brutality. The transfer by Jay was controversial on the time however he and Roc Nation have given the world’s greatest stage to various and fearless voices yearly since. As beforehand reported by BOSSIP, Roc Nation and the NFL prolonged their partnership final yr for an undisclosed period of time.
In accordance with the NFL, the Encourage Change marketing campaign has resulted in $55 million in grants to social justice organizations, and staff contributions have resulted in additional than $248 million to “change-driven” non-profits.