Marc Anthony opens up about his friendship with Bad Bunny and the heartfelt advice he shared before the Super Bowl Halftime Show

Marc Anthony has never been one to hide his emotions, and when it comes to his friendship with Bad Bunny, that sentiment runs even deeper. As the world waits for Bad Bunny’s long-anticipated Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, Anthony has shared the heartfelt advice he gave the Puerto Rican superstar just before the biggest performance of his career — and the words reveal as much about Anthony’s own legacy as they do about the artist who now carries the torch of Latin music.

In a candid interview with Rolling Stone, the 55-year-old salsa legend reflected on the moment he picked up the phone to call Bad Bunny in the days leading up to the show. “Benito reminds me of myself when I was younger,” he said with a quiet smile. “He does things his way, and he enjoys every second of it. I’m proud of how he’s taken our music to another level — it’s authentic, it’s global, and it’s ours.”

Anthony’s voice carries the weight of experience — he’s been where few artists ever reach. When he talks about Bad Bunny, there’s no trace of competition, only admiration. “He’s not there by luck,” Anthony said firmly. “He’s earned it. The numbers are crazy, but more important than that, the connection is real. He speaks to people from every part of the world in our language, through our rhythm.”

The advice he gave him was simple, almost philosophical: “Be responsible for the risk you take.” Anthony explained that the Super Bowl stage, watched by hundreds of millions, is more than a performance — it’s a statement. “You’re not just singing songs. You’re representing a whole culture. That comes with pressure, but it also comes with pride. I told him, take it all in — the fear, the excitement, the weight — and then let it go. Just be present.”

Their friendship goes back years, to when Bad Bunny was still an emerging voice in the Latin trap scene. Anthony first met him through mutual friends in Puerto Rico and immediately recognized something special. “He had that spark,” Anthony recalls. “The way he looked at music — it wasn’t about fame, it was about freedom.” Since then, the two have shared stages multiple times, most memorably during Bad Bunny’s sold-out Puerto Rico concert for ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’, where Anthony made a surprise appearance to roaring applause.

For Anthony, seeing the new generation rise is not a reminder of time passing, but of time well spent. “I’ve given my life to music,” he said. “And music gave me a life in return.” The phrase — one he’s repeated throughout his career — sums up the ethos that’s guided him for decades. It’s also the same message he passes on to younger artists like Bad Bunny: to treat music not as a career, but as a calling.

When Anthony speaks about the Halftime Show, his excitement is palpable. He knows the magnitude of that moment — he’s lived it. In 2002, he performed “America the Beautiful” at Super Bowl XXXVI, standing on a stage that felt less like a concert and more like history. “It’s overwhelming,” he said. “You realize it’s not about you — it’s about everyone watching, everyone you represent. I know Benito feels that.”

Despite the controversy that always surrounds Super Bowl performers, Anthony is unwavering in his support. “Bad Bunny’s ready,” he said. “People talk, but the truth is, this is his time. He’s built a movement that can’t be ignored.” Indeed, Bad Bunny has become the first Latin artist to headline the Halftime Show solo — a milestone that, to Anthony, marks more than just a career achievement. It’s cultural vindication. “Every Latin kid who grew up dancing in their living room to their parents’ music is part of this moment,” he said. “It’s for all of us.”

Anthony also sees himself reflected in the younger generation — artists like Maluma, Beéle, and Christian Nodal — who are expanding the sound of Latin music while staying rooted in their traditions. “They’re fearless,” he said proudly. “They blend styles, they take chances. That’s what keeps music alive. I tell them, don’t chase what’s trending. Create what’s next.”

It’s this mentor’s perspective that has made Anthony such a respected figure in the industry. His upcoming residency at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas will be both a celebration and a homecoming — a return to the stage for one of the most enduring voices in Latin music. But even as he prepares for that new chapter, he keeps his focus on what really matters. “Fame is temporary. Legacy isn’t,” he said. “If you stay true to your art, it stays true to you.”

That mindset is exactly what Bad Bunny has embraced. His performances, unapologetically Puerto Rican, weave together reggaeton, trap, salsa, and pop into something uniquely his own. To Anthony, that fearlessness is the mark of a real artist. “He’s taken our roots and built a skyscraper out of them,” Anthony said. “That’s what every artist dreams of — to honor the past while creating the future.”

The two remain close, exchanging texts and ideas about everything from studio sessions to tour life. “We laugh a lot,” Anthony admitted. “He sends me songs, I send him advice — or sometimes bad jokes. But we keep it real. That’s what friendship in music should be.”

As Super Bowl Sunday approaches, Anthony says he’ll be watching with pride, not as a critic or peer, but as a brother in music. “I’ll be there cheering louder than anyone,” he said with a grin. “This isn’t just his show. It’s our culture’s show.”

The story of Marc Anthony and Bad Bunny feels almost symbolic — a passing of the torch between generations of Latin artists who have turned rhythm into revolution. From the brass-filled energy of salsa to the digital pulse of reggaeton, their bond bridges the evolution of an entire genre. Both men have lived through moments when Latin music was underestimated; now, it commands the global stage.

Anthony’s final words during the interview were both reflective and resolute. “When you give your life to music,” he said softly, “music gives it back in ways you can’t imagine. That’s what I told Benito. Don’t think about the cameras or the pressure. Just remember why you started. That’s where the magic lives.”

And somewhere between those words — between mentor and prodigy, salsa and trap, past and future — lies the heartbeat of Latin music: timeless, defiant, and full of soul.