As a Puerto Rican, watching Bad Bunny’s 2026 Super Bowl LX Halftime Show was an emotional experience because of how deeply it centered the island’s identity and elevated cultural heritage pride. For those living in New York, the show wasn’t just a performance; it was a “culturally fluent megaphone” that validated the Nuyorican experience on the world’s biggest stage.

Here are three Boricua-coded moments that meant the most to this Puerto Rican New Yorker:

1. The “Nuevayol” Block Party featuring Brooklyn’s Own Toñita

Perhaps the most direct nod to the Nuyorican diaspora was the reconstruction of a Williamsburg block on the field. During the performance of “NuevaYol,” Bad Bunny took a shot with Maria “Toñita” Cay, the matriarch of Brooklyn’s Caribbean Social Club.

• Why it mattered: For over 50 years, Toñita’s club has been a sanctuary for Puerto Ricans in New York, resisting developer displacement and serving as a literal “little piece of home”. Seeing her—blond curls, rings, and all—sharing a moment with the world’s biggest star was a powerful acknowledgment that the Nuyorican community is a vital part of the “New America”.

2. The “Boda” (Wedding) with the Kid Sleeping on Chairs

During the salsa arrangement of “Die With a Smile” (performed with Leidy Guadalupe aka Lady Gaga), the set transformed into a traditional Puerto Rican wedding. The scene included an actual couple getting married, but the standout detail was a young boy sleeping across two white plastic chairs.

• Why it mattered: This was a masterful “if you know, you know” moment. The image of a child passed out on mismatched plastic chairs while their parents dance until sunrise is a core, universally shared memory for almost every Latino kid. For New Yorkers who grew up in the Bronx, Spanish Harlem, Lower East Side or Bushwick, this nostalgic “cultural easter egg” triggered deep memories of family gatherings that preserved island traditions in the city.

3. The “Flowers” for the Reggaeton Pioneers

In a significant shift from the previous setlist, Bad Bunny dedicated a high-energy medley to the architects of the genre, featuring massive visual tributes and audio samples from Don Omar, Daddy Yankee, and Tego Calderón.

• Why it mattered: For Boricuas in New York, like me, these three are the “Holy Trinity” of the music that soundtracked the city in the early 2000s – oh how I miss those days!. New York was the primary port of entry for Reggaeton’s U.S. explosion; seeing Benito pay homage to the legends who first filled the city’s car parades and clubs with “Gasolina” and “Pa’ Que Retumbe” felt like a long-overdue “giving of flowers” to the foundation of the culture.

With my son only being nine months old, he is entering a world where his culture isn’t simply being “represented”, it’s the standard for global excellence. Whether he’s in New York or San Juan, he won’t ever have to explain the magic of being Puerto Rican. His heritage is, and will always be, a superpower.