Kid Rock has unleashed his no-holds-barred verdict on Bad Bunny‘s electrifying – and entirely Spanish-language – Super Bowl LX halftime show, admitting he ‘didn’t understand any of it’ while slamming the NFL for choosing the Puerto Rican superstar and dubbing the whole spectacle a sad misstep for the ‘poor kid’.

The outspoken rocker, fresh off headlining the rival ‘All-American Halftime Show’ organized by conservative group Turning Point USA (TPUSA), didn’t mince words during a fiery appearance on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle just one day after the February 8, 2026, extravaganza at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

‘Like most people, I didn’t understand any of it,’ Kid Rock – real name Robert Ritchie – declared with a chuckle, referring to Bad Bunny’s high-energy performance packed with vibrant dancers, elaborate staging, and zero English lyrics.

‘I saw there’s a lot of dancers and a lot of big to-do stuff. And, you know, he said he wanted to have a dance party; it looked like he had one. Not my cup of tea, but I don’t fault that kid for doing the Super Bowl, getting in front of a global audience. I fault the NFL for putting him in that position and Turning Point for having to come out and have an alternative for people to watch. You know, it’s just — poor kid.’

The comments, dripping with condescension toward the 32-year-old reggaeton sensation (whom Kid Rock repeatedly called ‘that kid’ and even ‘poor rich kid’ in variations reported across outlets), sparked instant backlash and ignited fresh culture-war flames just 24 hours after the Super Bowl wrapped.

Bad Bunny’s set – sponsored by Apple Music and hailed by critics as a ‘joyful celebration of Latino heritage’ and a ‘revolutionary’ milestone – featured the global streaming kingpin delivering 13 of his biggest hits entirely in Spanish, the first time the Super Bowl halftime show has gone fully non-English. Special guests including Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin joined the Puerto Rican icon, who emerged amid a field of sugar cane in an angelic off-white ensemble, complete with a custom football jersey bearing ‘OCASIO’ (his real surname, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) and the number 64.

The performance was a visual and rhythmic feast: explosive choreography, nods to Puerto Rican history and culture, an emotional moment where Bad Bunny handed one of his recent Grammy awards to a young fan resembling a boy who had gone viral, and even a surprise wedding ceremony for a couple invited onstage. He capped it off by spiking a football triumphantly, with many viewers and reviewers praising the show as sheer joy, a powerful ode to Latino visibility, and one of the most culturally significant halftime spectacles in NFL history.

Viewership numbers told their own story – Bad Bunny’s extravaganza reportedly drew massive audiences, with social media exploding in praise from fans who danced along regardless of language barriers. One viral comment summed it up: ‘Bad Bunny: performs in Spanish. Me: what did he say? My chihuahua: 🕺🕺🕺’

Yet for Kid Rock and his supporters, the show represented something far more sinister – a deliberate snub to ‘traditional’ American values. In earlier interviews promoting his TPUSA gig, the 55-year-old Michigan native had already described Bad Bunny’s upcoming performance as featuring the star ‘wearing a dress and singing in Spanish,’ framing it as out of touch with mainstream tastes.

His appearance at the ‘All-American Halftime Show’ was positioned explicitly as an alternative for those who wanted ‘songs for folks who love America,’ featuring patriotic anthems, country stars like Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett, and a heavy dose of red-white-and-blue imagery. Streamed on YouTube and Rumble, TPUSA boasted over 25 million views (though independent verification remains elusive), and promised a return in 2027.

But the rival event faced savage reviews. Critics called Kid Rock’s two-song set – including ‘Bawitdaba’ – ‘half-assed,’ accused him of lip-syncing over backtracks, and labeled the whole production ‘an exercise in banality,’ a ‘sad sideshow of resentment,’ and underwhelming compared to the main event. Some outlets mocked the lack of genuine energy, with one describing it as feeling more like an old CMT special than a bold protest.

Kid Rock’s latest digs at Bad Bunny only poured fuel on the fire. By calling the Puerto Rican megastar a ‘poor kid’ thrust into an ill-fitting spotlight, he appeared to patronize one of the world’s most successful artists – a Grammy-winning, chart-dominating force who has shattered streaming records and become a global ambassador for Latin music.

The backlash was swift. Social media users accused Kid Rock of thinly veiled racism, xenophobia, and sour grapes over his own halftime snub (he’s long campaigned – unsuccessfully – for the main stage). Others pointed out the irony: while Bad Bunny celebrated inclusivity and cultural pride, Kid Rock’s alternative leaned heavily into ‘Faith, Family, and Freedom’ rhetoric that many saw as exclusionary.

Even former President Donald Trump weighed in, slamming Bad Bunny’s show as ‘absolutely terrible’ and ‘a slap in the face to our country,’ echoing sentiments that resonated in conservative circles but drew widespread condemnation elsewhere.

For his part, Kid Rock doubled down on faulting the NFL brass. ‘I fault the NFL for putting him in that position,’ he insisted, suggesting the league’s choice forced conservatives to scramble for an alternative. He expressed no ill will toward Bad Bunny personally – ‘I don’t fault that kid’ – but portrayed the decision as poor judgment that alienated a segment of the audience.

The divide perfectly encapsulates the broader cultural battles raging in America: one side sees Bad Bunny’s historic, all-Spanish performance as a triumphant step toward representation and global unity; the other views it as further evidence of a league – and a nation – drifting from its roots.

As the dust settles on Super Bowl LX, Kid Rock’s blunt assessment continues to dominate headlines, proving once again that even in a halftime show meant to unite, the culture wars find a way to crash the party.

Bad Bunny, meanwhile, remains unfazed – his performance already cemented as a landmark moment, replayed millions of times on YouTube, and celebrated for bringing Puerto Rican pride to the world’s biggest stage.

Whether you tuned into the dance party or the ‘All-American’ alternative, one thing is clear: the 2026 Super Bowl halftime showdown delivered drama far beyond the field.