Bad Bunny uses Grammy Award win to protest ICE

By Sandra Gonzalez, Alli Rosenbloom, CNN

(CNN) — One week before he’s set to headline the Super Bowl LX halftime show, Bad Bunny used his time on stage at the Grammy Awards to deliver a pointed political message that protested the recent actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Accepting the award for best música urbana album, Bad Bunny began his speech saying, “Before I say thanks to God, I’m gonna say: ICE out!”

The crowd inside the show, which took place in Los Angeles, overwhelmingly responded with cheers, according to what was heard on the telecast.

“We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens,” he said. “We are humans and we are Americans.”

After pausing while the audience applauded, Bad Bunny continued: “I know it’s tough not to hate on these days, and I was thinking, sometimes we get contaminados – I don’t know how to say that in English – the hate gets more powerful with more hate.”

“The only thing that is more powerful than hate is love,” he said. “So, please, we need to be different. If we fight, we have to do it with love.”

The phrase “ICE out” has been used at protests as a call for an end to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

Bad Bunny’s comments come amid nationwide anti-ICE protests that took place over the weekend. On Friday, Bruce Springsteen made a surprise appearance at a concert organized by Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello in Minneapolis, an event that benefitted the families of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, who were both killed by federal officers last month.

Springsteen released a song last week titled “Streets of Minneapolis,” which he dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, as well as Good and Pretti’s memory.

Billie Eilish also spoke out against ICE on stage at the Grammys, but viewers at home did not hear the full extent of her comments.

While accepting the Grammy for song of the year for “Wildflower,” Eilish, who has been an outspoken critic of actions made by ICE officials in recent weeks, said “no one is illegal on stolen land.”

“It’s just really hard to know what to say and what to do right now,” she continued, going on to encourage everyone to “keep fighting and speaking up and protesting.”

The end of her speech was bleeped by television censors but, according to video footage posted online, Eilish said, “F**k ICE.”

Earlier in the telecast, best new artist winner Olivia Dean also made a politically-tinged statement on stage.

The British singer and songwriter, who has Caribbean roots, acknowledged during her acceptance speech that she is the “granddaughter of an immigrant.”

“I’m a product of bravery, and I think that those people deserve to be celebrated,” she said. “We’re nothing without each other.”

Grammys host Trevor Noah took a more lighthearted approach to commenting on the state of the union.

During his opening monologue, he made a joke about rapper Nicki Minaj – who recently called herself President Donald Trump’s “number one fan” – was not at the Grammys because she was “still at the White House discussing very important issues.”

The host also did a bit with Bad Bunny prior to the musician’s win, when Noah asked if he could come live with him in Puerto Rico if things keep getting worse in America.

“Well, I have some new for you,” Bad Bunny said. “Puerto Rico is part of America.”

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