Podcast Summary: The Stacks — Unabridged: Bad Bunny Bowl with Vanessa Díaz & Petra Rivera-Rideau
Host: Traci Thomas
Guests: Vanessa Díaz & Petra Rivera-Rideau
Date: February 13, 2026

Episode Overview

In this special Unabridged episode of The Stacks, host Traci Thomas is joined by scholars/authors Vanessa Díaz and Petra Rivera-Rideau for an in-depth breakdown of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show. The trio explores not just the music and spectacle, but the deep-rooted political and cultural messages woven into the performance. The discussion draws heavily from Díaz and Rivera-Rideau's new book, Pay Fucking Array: How Bad Bunny Became the Global Voice of Puerto Rican Resistance, illuminating how art, identity, and activism collide on one of the world’s biggest stages.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Anticipation: What Did They Expect? [03:12–04:50]

• Bad Bunny’s Trademark Messaging

  • Vanessa expected complexity and “lots of messages,” saying,
    “Bad Bunny is like the master at getting lots of messages into everything he does...I got everything I thought was possible and way more. Way more.” [03:40–04:06]
  • Petra echoed this, anticipating “some kind of...platform to say something,” but was nonetheless surprised by some elements.

• Family Traditions & Song Predictions

  • Petra shares her family makes “family set lists” ahead of big performances, noting her kids “definitely won” this year.

Symbols of Resistance: The Puerto Rican Flag [05:06–09:34]

• The Light Blue vs Dark Blue Flag

  • Vanessa explains the flag’s history,
    “The most common flag that's known as the Puerto Rican flag...has a sky blue...triangle that actually was created to be the inverse of the Cuban flag.” [05:27–06:19]
  • The appearance of the light blue flag signifies support for Puerto Rican independence and is a deliberate political gesture.

• U.S. Colonialism and Suppression

  • Petra succinctly contextualizes,
    “You’ll also see a Puerto Rican flag with a dark blue triangle that is meant to match the dark blue color used in the US Flag...This is a shift as a result of US Colonialism.” [06:19–06:51]
  • The “Gag Law” made it illegal to display the Puerto Rican flag (even at home) from 1948-1957, highlighting decades of repressed identity and activism. As Vanessa emphasizes,
    “You couldn't even have the flag in your home.” [07:19]

• Citizenship without Equal Rights

  • Petra discusses the legal ambiguity and inequality faced by Puerto Ricans:
    “...if you live in Puerto Rico, you don't have any voting representation in Congress. You can't vote for president, but you can be drafted...you can receive certain federal benefits, but at a lower scale than if you lived in the mainland U.S.” [08:05–08:37]
  • She further notes,
    “...people don't realize that Cointelpro, the first group they were surveilling, were Puerto Rican independence activists...using those tactics of surveillance to go after groups we often think of.” [08:37–09:18]

The Setlist: Surprises and Omissions [09:34–11:48]

• Which Songs Missed the Cut?

  • Petra was surprised that I Like It didn’t make the setlist, given its importance in Bad Bunny’s career:
    “I was pretty convinced he would do I Like It. Whether or not Cardi B were there...That was a really major song.” [09:46–10:13]
  • Traci had expected Cardi B or J Balvin to join, revealing the audience's high hopes for certain collaborations. [10:18–10:27]

• Spotlight on Other Artists

  • Vanessa expected Young Miko, a young queer Puerto Rican artist, to perform; instead, they got “an older, queer Puerto Rican artist in Ricky Martin.” [10:44–11:02]
  • She thought explicit songs like Safaera would be left out, but was shocked when it made the cut:
    “I had told myself, there's no way he's going to do Safaera because it’s so explicit. ...And then when he started doing Safaera, I was like, you did it?” [11:10–11:33]

• Personal Favorites

  • Traci had hoped for Ojitos Lindos or Nevadita, acknowledging these aren’t typical Super Bowl tracks but expressing personal affection for those songs. [11:34–11:48]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Vanessa on Bad Bunny’s political artistry:
  “Bad Bunny is like the master at getting lots of messages into everything he does.” [03:40]

• Petra on the symbolism of the flag:
  “For Bad Bunny to have the light blue flag is really critical.” [06:19]

• Vanessa on the tension of U.S. colonialism:
  “They thought, oh, the US is this young nation. They're gonna liberate us. And they were like, actually, no, we're just gonna keep you in perpetual colonialism and also, like, take away every liberty you ever thought you might have. So, yeah, including your flag.” [07:33–07:51]

• Petra on American citizenship for Puerto Ricans:
  “Puerto Ricans have been U.S. citizens since 1917. But the citizenship...is not the same.” [08:05]

Timestamps of Major Segments

• [00:00–03:12] — Intro, Guest Welcome, Book Release Context
• [03:12–04:50] — Initial Expectations for the Show & The Family Set List
• [05:06–09:34] — The Puerto Rican Flag: History, Suppression, Colonialism
• [09:34–11:48] — Setlist Surprises, Guest Performers, and Song Choices

Tone & Style

The conversation is lively, bookish, and witty—infused with deep knowledge and personal anecdotes. The hosts and guests blend scholarly insight with a fan’s love, keeping the discussion meaningful yet relatable and energetic.

For further details, readers are encouraged to visit the guests’ new book and the podcast’s website. The full discussion (exclusive to paid subscribers) promises even more analysis of culture, resistance, music, and Bad Bunny’s global impact.