Guitarist Carlos Santana has quelled rumors that he was upset by Bad Bunny’s selection to perform at Super Bowl LX with a statement calling the claim “completely false.”
The NFL’s decision to draft the 31-year-old Puerto Rican pop star was criticized by many MAGA supporters, some of whom suggested a country singer might be better. U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem promised that immigration enforcement agents would be “everywhere” when the big game was played.
According to Santana – despite what people read on social media – he has no problem with Bad Bunny landing one of the biggest gigs imaginable.
“I congratulate and celebrate Bad Bunny’s success and his current position in the world and in the Super Bowl,” the 78-year-old Mexican wrote on Monday. “I feel complete unity with what he does because we are here to use art to complement and bring the world closer to harmony and unity.”
Bad Bunny said in an interview published last month that he has not booked any U.S. concerts for his current tour.
“ICE could be on the outside,” he told iD magazine.
Santana said Monday that he recognizes that the current political climate in the United States is difficult.
“We live in a time of fear, division, separation, superiority and inferiority. Fear is the flavor right now,” the “Evil Ways” musician wrote.
Santana blamed fear for motivating “ignorant people” to spread rumors that he didn’t want Bad Bunny to perform at the Super Bowl in February. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, a fake quote from Santana mocking Bad Bunny for wearing dresses indicated that it was part of her disagreement with the provocative singer.
“I never said that and I never will,” Santana added.
He also said he really enjoys listening to Bad Bunny’s 2023 hit “Monaco,” which he calls “something truly magical.”
Just because Santana supports Bad Bunny doesn’t mean he would refuse to perform in the NFL season finale. In 2016, he posted a Facebook message to the NFL suggesting the league had missed an opportunity by excluding San Francisco-area musicians like him from the festivities when Super Bowl 50 was being played in Santa Clara, California.
“I feel obligated to point out to you that the Halftime Show should have included some of the iconic local bands that the world would have loved to see perform. Bands like Metallica, Steve Miller, Journey and yours truly. We would have rocked the Half Time Show and made the SF Bay Area proud,” Santana wrote.
