Kid Rock Responds to Lip-Sync Claims After Turning Point Halftime Show

Kid Rock is pushing back against online rumors that he lip-synced during his recent Turning Point USA halftime performance, saying the issue was technical — not fake vocals.

The rocker addressed the speculation during a Feb. 9 appearance on Fox News, where he spoke with host Laura Ingraham about his set at Turning Point USA’s “All-American Halftime Show.” The event was billed as a conservative alternative to the official Super Bowl halftime show headlined by Bad Bunny.

After the performance aired, social media users claimed Kid Rock appeared out of sync while performing his hit song “Bawitdaba,” fueling accusations that the show was lip-synced. Kid Rock acknowledged the sync problem — but said it had nothing to do with pre-recorded vocals.

According to the singer, the performance was pre-taped, but it was still live vocals. He explained that if the vocals had been pre-recorded, fixing the timing would have been easy. Instead, the production team struggled to match the audio with the video because of how physically intense his performance was.

“I’m jumping all over the stage, rapping, taking breaths, and my DJ is filling in parts,” Kid Rock said. “I even told them when I saw the early cut that the sync was off.”

He added that the Turning Point production crew did their best, but syncing the footage proved difficult.

Despite the controversy, the event drew major attention. The initial livestream reportedly pulled in around six million viewers, while the archived YouTube video has since crossed 21 million views.

Bad Bunny’s official Super Bowl halftime show, meanwhile, is already a massive online hit, with over 55 million views on YouTube so far. TV ratings for the performance have not yet been released.

When asked about Bad Bunny’s set, Kid Rock offered a blunt — but mostly restrained — reaction. He joked that he didn’t understand the performance because it was entirely in Spanish, noting the heavy focus on dancers and party energy.

“It’s not my cup of tea,” Kid Rock said. “But I don’t fault him for doing the Super Bowl. I fault the NFL for putting him in that position.”

Bad Bunny’s 13-minute halftime show was a celebration of his Puerto Rican roots, filled with dancers, cultural tributes, and celebrity appearances from Pedro Pascal and Cardi B, along with surprise musical moments featuring Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin.

The decision to have Bad Bunny headline the halftime show sparked backlash from conservative commentators months earlier, especially after the artist said he avoided touring in the U.S. due to fears that ICE could target concertgoers. His plan to perform the halftime show entirely in Spanish also drew criticism.

Turning Point USA announced its alternative halftime event back in October, framing it as a celebration of “faith, family, and freedom.” Early promotional materials even highlighted preferences like “Americana,” “Worship,” and “Anything in English.”

Bad Bunny, often called the King of Latin Trap, has become one of the world’s biggest music stars since his 2016 debut. He recently made history by winning Album of the Year at the 2026 Grammy Awards — a milestone that further cemented his global influence.

As for Kid Rock, he says the controversy around his performance comes down to a simple technical glitch — not lip-syncing — and insists he did exactly what he’s always done: perform it live, flaws and all.