Jay-Z defends Bad Bunny amid backlash to Super Bowl Halftime Show headline slot

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In the official NFL announcement announcing Bad Bunny - whose real name is Benito Ocasio - as the headline act, Jay-Z said: “What Benito has done and continues to do for Puerto Rico is truly inspiring. We are honoured to have him on the world’s biggest stage.”

Trump recently told Newsmax's Greg Kelly: "I don't know who he is. I don't know why they're doing it - it's, like crazy.

"They blame it on some promoter they hired to pick up entertainment. I think it's absolutely ridiculous."

Bad Bunny recently told his critics that they have four months to learn Spanish before his performance.

In his monologue on Saturday Night Live, he said: "I'm really excited to be doing the Super Bowl, I know that people all around the world who love my music are also happy."

The Dakiti rapper then switched to his native language for 30 seconds before firing a message to his detractors.

He said in Spanish: "Especially all of the Latinos and Latinas in the world here in the United States who have worked to open doors. It's more than a win for myself, it's a win for all of us. Our footprints and our contribution in this country, no one will ever be able to take away or erase it."

Bad Bunny then joked that non-Spanish speakers will need to learn the language if they are to understand his performance.

The 31-year-old artist quipped: "If you didn't understand what I just said. You have four months to learn."

Trump administration officials have suggested that NFL chiefs will regret their decision to choose Bad Bunny for the halftime show.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said: "They suck, and we'll win, and God will bless us, and we'll stand and be proud of ourselves at the end of the day. They won't be able to sleep at night because they don't know what they believe, and they're so weak, we'll fix it."