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After he took home the Grammy for album of the year for “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” (the first all-Spanish-language album to be recognized in the coveted category), Bad Bunny became the first Spanish-language Latin solo artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

When Bad Bunny was announced as the headliner in September, he drew criticism from a handful of conservative pundits and Fox News commentators. But on Sunday, he emphasized a message of unity while paying tribute to his Puerto Rican roots.

The football field transformed into a set that looked like Puerto Rico's sugarcane fields, where people dressed as 19th century laborers wore their signature "pavas."

He began with his hit “Tití Me Preguntó," walking through the set past carts of “piragua” (snow cones), boxing matches, people playing dominoes and others dancing. He also brought the signature "casita" from his historic Puerto Rico residency to the halftime show to do an homage to old school reggaeton music with hits like "Yo Perreo Sola" and "EOo."

Bad Bunny performs during the Super Bowl halftime show.Patrick T. Fallon / AFP - Getty ImagesThe show was also filled with star power: Lady Gaga performed a salsa version of her song "Die With A Smile," and Ricky Martin sang Bad Bunny's heartbreaking hit "Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii."

Celebrities, including actors Jessica Alba and Pedro Pascal and influencer Alix Earle, were spotted onstage behind the dancers.

Bad Bunny closed his show with a message of unity, saying "God Bless America" while shouting out all the countries across North, Central and South America. Dancers waving various flags walked behind him.

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Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, first sang at the Super Bowl in 2020 alongside headliners Shakira and Jennifer Lopez in Miami, delivering an unforgettable performance that showcased Latin music’s might and rising mainstream success.

While that show remains a culturally significant event for Latinos in the U.S., Bad Bunny’s performance represents a new millestone, according to Petra Rivera-Rideau and Vanessa Díaz, the co-authors of “P FKN R: How Bad Bunny Became the Global Voice of Puerto Rican Resistance.”

Bad Bunny performed as the Trump administration continues its wide-scale immigration crackdown and arrests Latino immigrants in large numbers.

In January, federal immigration authorities who were carrying out operations in Minneapolis fatally shot two U.S. citizens. Their deaths have amplified calls for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to leave Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Chicago and other cities where immigration raids have taken place.

Bad Bunny has not shied away from politics, particularly when it comes to Puerto Rico. He was among a handful of artists at the Grammys who made bold “ICE out” statements. He also has called out the U.S. government’s botched response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2018 and demanded justice in the killing of Alexa, a trans woman in Puerto Rico, in 2020.

Bad Bunny performs "El Apagon" during the Super Bowl halftime show.Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty ImagesAhead of the game, the NFL stood by its decision to enlist Bad Bunny. Asked about the singer’s “ICE out” remarks at the Grammys, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended him and said the Super Bowl halftime show “is used to unite people.”

The NFL also said there would be no ICE operations at the Super Bowl, NBC Bay Area reported. Still, crowds of anti-ICE protesters crowded outside Levi's Stadium before the game.

In anticipation of the Super Bowl, President Donald Trump told the New York Post that he’d be skipping the event this year and called Bad Bunny a “terrible choice.”

Turning Point USA, the conservative organization co-founded by the late Charlie Kirk, hosted an alternative halftime show headlined by country and rock singer Kid Rock. Country singers Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett also performed.

Bad Bunny ended his halftime performance holding a football that said “Together we are America."

The event ended with fireworks that showcased the Puerto Rican flag and a jumbotron message that read: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love."

Nicole AcevedoNicole Acevedo is a news reporter for NBC News.