Kid Rock to perform for the MAGA-sphere's own Super Bowl halftime show

The authoritative Super Bowl halftime amusement connected Sunday volition diagnostic Bad Bunny, the Grammy victor for medium of the year, astatine the tallness of his powers and influence. Those upset by his onstage comments astir the dignity of Latinos and immigrants, however, tin crook to a competing measure featuring Kid Rock and Gabby Barrett.

Rock, the perennial MAGA raconteur and country-rock singer, volition execute for the far-right activistic radical Turning Point USA’s counterprogramming lawsuit streaming crossed the blimpish mediasphere. Turning Point USA is the activistic radical founded by the precocious Charlie Kirk, who was killed past twelvemonth astatine a speaking lawsuit successful Utah.

“We program to play large songs for folks who emotion America,” Rock said successful a connection announcing the bill. “We’re approaching this amusement similar David and Goliath. Competing with the pro shot instrumentality and a planetary popular superstar is astir intolerable … oregon is it?”

“He’s said he’s having a creation party, wearing a formal and singing successful Spanish? Cool. We program to play large songs for folks who emotion America,” Rock said, successful an overt jab astatine the existent Super Bowl halftime amusement headliner.

Veteran state acts Lee Brice and Brantley Gilbert and Barrett, an “American Idol” alum with a 2019 Hot 100 deed successful “I Hope,” volition besides perform.

While Rock’s right-wing authorities person mostly eclipsed his philharmonic relevance successful 2026, he’s precocious tried to presumption himself arsenic a powerfulness broker for MAGA-friendly concerts with conscionable capable plausible entreaty for much neutral state and stone fans. His planned 2026 touring festival, Rock the Country, is acceptable to diagnostic Blake Shelton, caller Grammy victor Jelly Roll, Creed and Miranda Lambert, but mislaid Ludacris and Morgan Wade pursuing blowback from fans.

When Bad Bunny was booked for the Super Bowl successful October, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said, “I didn’t adjacent cognize who Bad Bunny was. But it sounds similar a unspeakable decision, successful my view, from what I’m hearing. It sounds similar he’s not idiosyncratic who appeals to a broader audience.”

“There are truthful galore eyes connected the Super Bowl — a batch of young, impressionable children. And, successful my view, you would person Lee Greenwood, oregon relation models, doing that. Not idiosyncratic similar this, ” helium added.

President Trump said a measure featuring the Grammy-winning Puerto Rican superstar — and the famously anti-Trump punk set Green Day — was portion of the crushed helium would not be the crippled this year. “I’m anti-them. I deliberation it’s a unspeakable choice,” helium said. “All it does is sow hatred. Terrible.”