Drake Allegedly Rejected Super Bowl So He Wouldn't Steal Bad Bunny's Shine

BY Gabriel Bras Nevares
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Drake Rejected Super Bowl Wouldnt Steal Bad Bunny Shine
Jun 2, 2019; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Recording artist Drake gestures during the third quarter of game two of the 2019 NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports via Imagn Images
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Given Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show last year, Drake's potential guest appearance during Bad Bunny's slot would be a huge moment.

Bad Bunny will take over as the Super Bowl halftime show performer in Santa Clara, California tonight (Sunday, February 8), marking a historic performance that will hopefully turn out to be amazing. However, many fans wondered whether or not it would relate to last year's show, as the Puerto Rican superstar has a friendship and a few collaborations with none other than Drake.

Since Kendrick Lamar dragged him through the mud during the 2025 halftime, many fans saw a revenge story cooking for the "MIA" and "Gently" duo. But it seems like this speculation may have no final destination, according to The Sun. They reportedly spoke to an alleged source close to Benito's camp who claimed that Drizzy turned down his request to join him as a halftime show guest performer.

"He said no because he wants everyone to focus on his brother Benito," the alleged source reportedly claimed. "He wants Bad Bunny to enjoy the moment, to do his thing, and to not have his moment surrounded by noise about any kind of revenge on Kendrick." Also, the alleged source reportedly claimed that the 6ix God has no fear of performing on the West Coast. "He wants his friend to shine and to pay tribute to the Latino world his way, without Drake being the center of attention," they added.

Drake & Bad Bunny Collabs

For those unaware, Drake and Bad Bunny really support each other, with them shouting each other out various times over the years. They have their collabs, yes, but their connection extends to financial competition and longtime respect. The latter recently said that the former was one of the people he really hoped could've showed up to his residency in Puerto Rico. As for specific collaborations, "MIA" was a lead single for Bad Bunny's first album X 100PRE in 2018, whereas "Gently" appeared on the Toronto superstar's 2023 album For All The Dogs.

Rumors around Bad Bunny and Drake's business connection swirled earlier this decade, although they never got actual confirmation. Birdman claimed that the former was an OVO artist from the jump, which is not true. But he's a friend.

Of course, the notion that The Boy would completely steal the spotlight from Benito downplays how massive the Puerto Rican artist is. But it would certainly be a massive headline if Drake chooses to take the Super Bowl stage, for better or for worse. Still, Bad Bunny might have other rappers onstage...

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.

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