Bad Bunny’s record-breaking halftime show pulled in over 135 million viewers—fans, stans, casual watchers, and yes, professional haters who tune in just to be mad. Which brings me to the loudest one in the room: Chris Brown.
Brown took to social media to offer an unsolicited—and frankly bizarre—reaction to the Puerto Rico-inspired performance, posting a cryptic message that immediately rubbed people the wrong way.
Reacting via his Instagram Stories, the controversial singer wrote:
“I THINK ITS SAFE TO SAY.. THEY NEED ME!”
Mind you, Chris Brown has never performed at the Super Bowl. Not as a headliner. Not as a guest cameo. Not for the national anthem. He hasn’t even snagged a courtesy Jumbotron shot between plays. Meanwhile, Pedro Pascal managed to vibe peacefully in the background of Benito’s show alongside Jessica Alba and Cardi B without demanding the spotlight.
You can view that shady post with that smirky smirk emoji here:
@chrisbrownofficial/Instagram
What makes the moment even funnier is that Brown once had a now-deleted exchange with a fan who asked when he’d be performing at the Super Bowl.
Responding to the fan in the comments section, he wrote:
“[N]ever shawty.. American media AINT fa me. Rather be where I’m welcomed.”
So what changed?
Was it ego? Jealousy over the critical acclaim Bad Bunny earned for delivering a theatrical, Spanish-language spectacle that still found room for Ricky Martin and Lady Gaga? Was it the sheer audacity of a halftime show that didn’t need English to land emotionally and commercially?
Or was it just shade for shade’s sake, with Brown fully convincing himself that he, of all people, could top Benito’s meticulously choreographed, unapologetically not-for-him version of America?
And somehow, Brown wasn’t even alone.
Before Benito even stepped onstage, social media influencer and self-appointed boxing experiment Jake Paul called for a boycott of the show. Yes, the same Jake Paul who, along with his brother Logan, relocated to Puerto Rico for reasons that definitely had nothing to do with patriotism or paying taxes.
You can view his tweet here:
Then came the ultimate hater-in-chief: President Donald Trump, who just had to weigh in, labeling the performance “disgusting,” despite having an entirely different halftime show available since this one offended him so deeply.
Posting on Truth Social, he wrote:
“The Super Bowl Halftime Show is absolutely terrible, one of the worst, EVER! It makes no sense, is an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn't represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence.”
Seriously, can Chris Brown and Donald Trump please show us their credentials for judging a halftime show?
And Trump wasn’t done:
"Nobody understands a word this guy is saying, and the dancing is disgusting."
That’s rich, considering Trump’s own social media rants often require a decoder ring. More importantly, it’s revealing. This is a president who routinely shows little respect for freedom of expression and seems to forget, despite the dog whistles, that Puerto Rico is America and always has been.
And after decades of halftime shows led by artists who are literally not American—U2, Paul McCartney, Coldplay, just to name a few—this sudden concern over who gets to define “American greatness” feels like panic over a culture and a country he neither understands nor controls.
Maybe the president should take a note from Benito’s closing message:
"The only thing stronger than hate is love."
And we have plenty of love for Bad Bunny—and for all of America, whether certain people like it or not.
As for social media, they rallied around Benito and laughed off Brown’s offer to perform:
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u/___nic/Reddit
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For the most part, Benito’s performance left viewers and fellow celebrities alike beaming with pride. Selena Gomez shared two Instagram Stories about how deeply the show resonated with her family.
She wrote:
“My goddaughter proud as can be… What a beautiful halftime show!”
Others echoed the sentiment. Kacey Musgraves summed it up on X, while Doechii made it clear history had just been made.
In the end, Benito didn’t need to prove any of these haters wrong. The music spoke for itself, and the message lingered far longer than any tweet, post, or rant ever could.
For those who don’t know: the Super Bowl halftime show is produced by the NFL in partnership with Roc Nation, led by Jay-Z, which has overseen performer selection and creative direction since 2019. Apple Music currently serves as the sponsor, with production handled by executive producers such as Jesse Collins and designers including Bruce Rodgers of Tribe Inc.
As for what’s next, if this halftime show was any indication, Bad Bunny’s future projects won’t be about chasing approval. They’ll be about scale, culture, and intention. And judging by the numbers, the audience will be there, whether the haters like it or not.
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social
