Guitar wiz Carlos Santana squashed rumors that he was upset about Bad Bunny being selected to perform at Super Bowl LX with a statement calling the claim “totally false.”
The NFL’s decision to book the 31-year-old Puerto Rican pop star was met with criticism by many MAGA supporters — some of whom suggested a country singer might be better. U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem vowed immigration enforcement officers would be “all over that place” when the big game is 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 position right now with the world and with the Super Bowl,” the 78-year-old Mexican native wrote Monday. “I feel total oneness with what he’s doing because we are here to utilize art to complement and bring the world closer to harmony and oneness.”
Bad Bunny said in an interview published last month that he didn’t book any U.S. shows on his current tour.
“ICE could be outside,” he told i-D magazine.
Santana said Monday he agrees the current political climate in the United States is challenging.
“We’re living 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 was part of his beef with the provocative singer.
“I never said that, nor would I ever,” Santana added.
He also said he really enjoys listening to Bad Bunny’s 2023 hit “Monaco,” which he calls “something really magical.”
The fact that Santana supports Bad Bunny doesn’t mean he would say no to performing at the NFL’s season finale. In 2016, he posted a Facebook message to the NFL suggesting the league missed an opportunity by excluding San Francisco area musicians like himself from the festivities when the Super Bowl 50 was played in Santa Clara,Calif.
“I do feel compelled to point out to you that the Halftime Show should have included some of the local iconic 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 done the SF Bay Area proud,” Santana wrote.
