Excitement is building in Lehigh Valley’s Latino communities as Puerto Rican artist and international superstar Bad Bunny prepares to take on the Super Bowl halftime show.
“He’s going to make a history moment for him and for all Puerto Ricans all over the world,” Puertorrican Culture Preservation President Flor Velez said.
Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, shares a Hispanic background with 30% of Lehigh County and 16.6% of Northampton County, according to the Census Bureau. This includes over half of Allentown’s population.
“Everybody’s talking about it,” Velez, 66, of Allentown, said.
While Bad Bunny isn’t the first Latino artist to perform the halftime show, he will be the first solo artist with a Spanish-language dominant set.
“The expectations within the Puerto Rican community and the Latino community are very, very high,” said Victor Martinez, who owns Allentown-based La Mega radio station.
When Martinez posted a giveaway for a custom Bad Bunny-themed Super Bowl T-shirt, he received over 100 comments.
“You have a majority Puerto Rican, Latino community here in the Lehigh Valley. There is a sense of pride in the community,” he said. “Not just because of the Super Bowl. I mean, Bad Bunny has been breaking all kinds of records.”
The artist is known for celebrating his heritage, with his music blending reggaetón, Latin trap and more traditional Puerto Rican music styles. Last year, he performed a historic 31-day residency in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny, right, performs Jan. 23, 2026, during his “Debi tirar mas fotos” world tour at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellin, Colombia. (Jaime SALDARRIAGA / AFP via Getty Images)
“At the end of the day, you know, the rhythm is what connects the people,” said Marcel Bedoya, 52, of Easton. “Either you understand or not, you feel the vibes and you feel like you want to move, no matter what they’re saying.”
“He’s 100% American because he’s born and raised Puerto Rican, but he’s also proud of his Latino roots,” Bedoya said. “I believe that the show that he’s going to put on Sunday is going to be an extraordinary show.”
Bad Bunny is expected to bring his culture to the Super Bowl halftime stage. In a teaser video, he sits atop a football goalpost on a beach wearing a pava straw hat, traditionally worn in the Puerto Rico countryside.
“We are getting acknowledged,” said Abel Polanco, 36, who splits his time between Allentown and New York. “Our goals, our values are being noticed.”
Polanco said that he believes Bad Bunny resonates as an artist because of his upbringing, going from “almost nobody to this huge superstar.”
Even those who aren’t big fans of Bad Bunny spoke highly of the show’s cultural impact.
“It’s something good for us Latinos, for them to see we’re important,” Winifer Paulino, 30, of Allentown said in Spanish.
“I come from a Christian family, and while I don’t personally identify with the values he has in his music, I recognize his impact and popularity within the Latino culture,” said Michelle Vargas, 42, of Upper Macungie Township.
The performance has drawn criticism from top conservatives, including President Donald Trump, who told the New York Post that all performances from Bad Bunny and pre-kickoff performer Green Day do is “sow hatred.” Conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA is planning a counter, “All-American” halftime show with Kid Rock headlining.
“I think he’s very brave,” Martinez, the owner La Mega, said of Bad Bunny.
“It’s a great opportunity, because of the world that we live in, with everything that is happening with immigration and ICE and everything else, he set up a very high bar,” Martinez said.
On Sunday, Bad Bunny’s album, “Debi Tirar Mas Fotos,” became the first Spanish-language project to win Album of the Year at the Grammys.
“With this last album, he really just took the Puerto Rican culture and the Puerto Rican music to the next level,” Martinez said. “It was an album that made any Puerto Rican proud of our heritage.”
On Sunday, La Mega will host its first Super Bowl watch party to celebrate Bad Bunny’s performance with the community.
“We want to share this with other Puerto Ricans,” Martinez said. “We only wish it was in the summer and during our Puerto Rican parade.”
Isabella Gaglione is a freelance writer.