Last night’s Super Bowl halftime show drew its fair share of both praise and controversy, as West Coast hip-hop legend Dr. Dre took to the field with a cadre of superstar associates including 50 Cent, Anderson .Paak, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, and Snoop Dogg. While some conservative pundits offered the probably disingenuous criticism of the show as depicting “sexual anarchy,” another lightning rod during the performance was Eminem taking a knee in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick and all the other players who protested police brutality during the 2016 season.
Ahead of the performance, it was reported that the NFL had apparently shot down the idea when he pitched it during planning and rehearsals, as well as flagging Dr. Dre’s “still not loving police” lyric from “Still D.R.E.” as possibly “divisive” moments. However, that report didn’t stop either performer from going ahead as planned, although Kendrick Lamar did censor the “we hate po-po” lyric from “Alright.”
A report shortly after the performance in the New York Times suggests new information from a league spokesman who insinuated that all those possibly controversial moments were cleared in rehearsals. Brian McCarthy said league officials “watched it during rehearsals this week” and didn’t mention receiving any notes. He also said that players and coaches were cleared to demonstrate before the game, although it didn’t seem that any of them did.
Not only are we a few hours away from a Super Bowl matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams, but we’re also almost moments away from what’s lining up to be an awesome halftime show. Dr. Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, and Mary J. Blige are all going to take the stage later tonight. Dre has promised some surprises for the halftime show, but whatever’s about to happen won’t occur without approval from the NFL.
One thing they shot down was this: Eminem reportedly wanted to take a knee in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick. According to Consequence and Puck, the NFL denied Eminem’s request. The league has also allegedly denied one of Snoop Dogg’s outfits due to possible gang ties and it flagged Dr. Dre’s lyric from “Still D.R.E.” as it includes lyrics like “still not loving police.” It’s reported that the league doesn’t want the Super Bowl to be perceived as a “divisive culture war moment.”
Nonetheless, Dre is very excited about the halftime show, which he spent upwards of $7 million worth to put together. “Hip-hop is the biggest genre of music on the planet right now, so it’s crazy that it took all of this time for us to be recognized,” he said. “I think we’re going to go on and do a fantastic show and we’re going to do it so big that they can’t deny us any more in the future.”
During the press conference for Dr. Dre’s upcoming Super Bowl halftime show featuring Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, and Snoop Dogg, the West Coast rap impresario refused to offer any insights into potential surprises during the performance, but he did offer assurances regarding what fans won’t see: anyone’s junk. After Snoop brought up the infamous “wardrobe malfunction” from the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show with Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake, Dre jumped on the opportunity to razz his notoriously mischievous costars.
“I had to talk Snoop and Eminem out of pulling their penises out,” he joked. “Especially Eminem.” You can check out the full press conference above.
Of course, the wild days when you could expect Snoop or Eminem to troll America this way are far behind both. In one of Snoop’s recent interviews regarding the upcoming performance, he waffled about performing one of his most iconic songs while admitting to being “nervous about watching it to see what the reaction is.” Eminem likewise admitted that the preparations were “f*cking nerve-wracking,” telling Sway Calloway that “there’s nothing more final than live TV… if you f*ck up, your f*ck up is there forever.”
Indiana Pacers forward/center Myles Turner hasn’t played in an NBA game since the middle of last month due to a stress reaction in his left foot. He was set to be re-evaluated two weeks after the injury, but it remains to be seen if his next game will be in a Pacers jersey. That’s because his name has come up multiple times in trade rumors. As we wait to see what happens with him, Turner used some of his recovery time to make a giant, $100,000 bet.
Turner was joking with people on Twitter when rising Detroit rapper BabyTron stepped in to throw a jab at him. “ARE YOU EVER GONNA MAKE THE ALL STAR TEAM @Original_Turner,” BabyTron wrote. Turner issued his response, but not without checking out some of BabyTron’s music. “@_babytron No [cap] i have no idea who you are but I just listened and you ain’t bad… wager sumn,” Turner wrote. “I make an all star team or you get a billboard top 10 single.” He then placed his wager for the bet, writing, “Put 100 k onnit [handshake emoji].”
BabyTron seemed quite excited to make the bet as he eagerly replied, “ITS ON [handshake emoji].” As for BabyTron’s rap career, he’s quite the active artist, having released four projects in 2021: Lewis & Clark, Dookie Brothers 2, Luka Tronic, and Bin Reaper 2.
Halftime at this Sunday’s Super Bowl LVI promises to be a total smash when Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar take the stage for the Pepsi Halftime Show at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium on February 13. But even though they’ve had months to plan their performances, Snoop Dogg’s setlist might not be finalized yet.
In an interview with the Associated Press, the West Coast rap legend spoke about the nerves he’s feeling right now. “I’m not going to understand it until it happens,” he told the AP. “While it’s happening, I’m in the zone. I’m stuck to the script, laser focused, being on point, sounding good, looking good and feeling good. I want to give off a great presentation. After the fact, it’s when I’ll be nervous about watching it to see what the reaction is. But while I’m going through it, it’s nothing.”
More notably, though, Snoop indicated that he wasn’t sure yet if he would perform his iconic 1994 track “Gin & Juice.” The song was produced by Dr. Dre and it would really cement the feel of being in Los Angeles (Inglewood, to be exact) for the Super Bowl. He said the most important thing is being there with the rest of the performers and purveying a message of unity: “We’re all one. We’re all united together. If you really look at it, that’s what the world needs to understand that we need to come together as opposed to division or separation.”
Not only is Eminem performing part of the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show but he’s also bringing his popular pop-up restaurant to hungry football fans. The pop-up, Mom’s Spaghetti — so named for a line from Em’s 2002 hit “Lose Yourself” — was so successful at previous events that he eventually opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant in his hometown Detroit last year to the delight of fans.
This week, Mom’s Spaghetti will return to its roots with a pop-up shop in Downtown LA opening today through Super Bowl Sunday, when the big game will be played at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium between the hometown LA Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. For those unwilling to risk Super Bowl week traffic themselves (seriously, don’t do it, people) the restaurant will also be available for delivery via Postmates.
Fans actually at the game will get to watch Eminem perform at the halftime show along with Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, and Snoop Dogg. The group will also have a pair of deaf rappers signing during the show, translating the classic songs for a wider audience. In other food-related Super Bowl news, Domino’s is offering customers $3 for picking up their pizzas instead of having them delivered.
It’s not all that unusual to see Ice Cube at sporting events. After all, the man’s been famous since his early 20s when he was a member of NWA, and he even runs his own increasingly popular basketball league, The Big 3. But apparently, there are still some sporting events at which you wouldn’t expect to catch the internationally recognized rapper, as seen by the reaction to not only appearing at a Nascar race this past Sunday but performing there as well.
Cube was apparently commissioned for the halftime show at the Busch Light Clash at the LA Coliseum on Sunday (truthfully, I didn’t know car races even had halftimes, so I’m already shocked and confused by this story myself), where he performed hits from across his expansive catalog such as “Check Yoself,” “Friday,” and “You Know How We Do It.” Clearly, though, this wasn’t exactly the audience for an Ice Cube performance, as the audience’s reactions were decidedly mixed.
Online, though, there was as much amusement as bemusement (which actually mean wildly different things, go figure), with fans chiming in to either berate the Nascar audience for not appreciating a musical legend in their midst or demean Nascar for so baldly trying to expand its appeal — likely inspired by the upcoming Super Bowl’s halftime slate of Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, and Snoop Dogg.
Two things I realized today:
1. Out-there ideas are the ones that make the biggest impact. Kudos to everyone who had a hand in making the #BuschLightClash a reality.
This guy in his Viagra jacket hanging in the stands with his friends listening to Ice Cube and watching NASCAR is living his best life. We envy you pic.twitter.com/2edu85P6h0
It seems the Nascar audience is as reluctant to embrace hip-hop as the hip-hop audience is to embrace Nascar — or maybe, considering the popularity of the sport down South, they just need to tap some more Southern artists the next time around. Just saying, there’s probably a strong overlap between people who love cars and people who love Ludacris. Check out more responses below.
I’m not sorry to whoever doesn’t like this but you can’t tell me that NASCAR Halftime with Ice Cube performing inside the Los Angeles Memorial Colosseum isn’t dope af
Vince Staples’ musical output is an ever-evolving thing. When he started out, his music was abrasive and almost contrarian, intentionally flying against the prevailing wind of hip-hop’s mainstream sound. However, over time, he’s mellowed out, at times flirting with a more accessible sound, most noticeably on the hyperactive FM! and the depressive sound of his 2020 self-titled album. In recent months, signs have pointed to that flirtation becoming a full-blown love affair on his long-awaited album, Ramona Park Broke My Heart, which could be the moment he goes from critical darling to fan-favorite superstar.
First, he tapped DJ Quik earlier this year to help finish the project, and now, it’s clear he’s been working with another West Coast hitmaker in Mustard. A song Vince created with the latter has appeared in the unlikeliest of places: a new Beats By Dre ad featuring tennis superstar Naomi Osaka. In the ad, Osaka is shown putting in a brand-new pair of Beats headphones on the tennis court and laying on the net like a hammock while the new song, “Magic,” plays. Judging from the party-ready vibe of the single, it sounds like Staples is actually making a play for radio and playlist love for a change and he sounds every bit as cozy on the Mustard-standard beat as Osaka looks in her makeshift hammock. Staples’ Instagram post promises more on the way, and we can’t wait.
The NBA announced its reserves for the 2022 All-Star Game on Thursday evening and, while there is always talk of “snubs” and what went wrong with the selections, it is also a time for celebration. For Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, that was very much the case, as the 27-year-old earned his first selection, earning the nod after a stellar first half of the 2021-22 season. The Raptors were set to take the floor for a home game just as the All-Star picks came down, meaning he had to focus on the task at hand, but that didn’t stop Drake from congratulating VanVleet before tipoff.
Even with fans limited, or even non-existent, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Drake has been present in support of the Raptors, and that continues here. The timing also worked quite well, as the game tipped off just moments after the official announcement, and VanVleet (due to alphabetical order) was the last player named by TNT.
In addition to the franchise’s most prominent fan showing love, the Raptors have unleashed a full-fledged campaign for VanVleet, all the way down to a “Freddie All-Star” moniker on the team’s local broadcast. VanVleet has clearly earned the All-Star nod with his play, though, averaging 21.5 points and 7.0 assists per game with impressive defense and three-point shooting (39.1 percent). It is always fun to see a first-time selection rewarded, and VanVleet received quite the congratulatory welcome here.
With over 100 million people consistently tuning into the Super Bowl every year, organizers consistently go all-out for the much-anticipated annual halftime show. And with any high-pressure live event, there are is little tolerance for error. So when something doesn’t go quite as expected, the internet lights up with viral memes and discourse.
Prior to the ’90s, the halftime shows usually consisted of university marching bands or drill teams. But since then, the NFL discovered they could increase viewership by making the halftime show a pop culture staple. Now, the performances invite the most recognizable names in music to take the stage with a past roster boasting artists like Michael Jackson, U2, Madonna, and more.
Let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable moments that have gone down at Super Bowl halftime shows of the last two decades. Cringey, hilarious, and just plain captivating, these halftime performances made a major impact in pop culture.
Shakira and J. Lo’s 2020 performance at the Super Bowl halftime show was one for the history books. Not only was it the last large-scale music event before the pandemic effectively shut down live music, but it was also a major celebration of Latin American culture. J. Lo wore a massive feathered Puerto Rican flag cape and Shakira decided to honor the moment with a customary gesture. Moments into her rendition of “Hips Don’t Lie,” the singer leaned into the camera to stick her tongue out and make a high-pitched sound.
Many (white) people on the internet were perplexed by the gesture and it easily became the most-memed moment of the night. But it didn’t take long for others to point out the mocking was in poor taste. The tongue move is actually a zaghrouta, which translates to a ululation. It’s a part of Arabic culture meant to signify joy and is oftentimes used to celebrate weddings, engagements, and the birth of children.
As much work went into Maroon 5’s 2019 Super Bowl halftime performance, the most memorable part of the set didn’t come from the music itself. The 13-minute spectacle as a whole felt very disjointed and seemed as though organizers were trying to pack in as many stunts as possible in a very short amount of time. It included an abrupt transition to Travis Scott’s barely-integrated performance, a clip from Spongebob, Big Boi driving through the crowd in a convertible Mercedes-Benz, a gospel choir, and thousands of paper lanterns.
But despite all the on-stage antics, the internet was the most concerned with the moment Adam Levine decided to go shirtless for some reason. Like some of the women in Super Bowl halftime show history, Levine wanted to get away with an outfit change mid-set. But apparently, his idea of a wardrobe change was actually just ripping his clothes off. Levine started the set wearing a black trench coat and as the show progressed, Levine would shed more and more layers until he was in just a tank top. While singing Maroon 5’s final song of the evening, “Moves Like Jagger,” Levine decided to peel off his tank and toss it into the crowd, leaving him shirtless. The move received mixed reactions. Some praised Levine’s six pack with others chided him for a generally lackluster performance.
“Left shark’s” uncoordinated dance moves with Katy Perry: 2015
Katy Perry may have ridden into her 2015 Super Bowl halftime set on the back of a giant gold lion, but there was only one thing people were talking about after her performance. No, it wasn’t appearances by guests Lenny Kravitz or Missy Elliott. Instead, the internet was buzzing with jokes about one of her backup dancers.
The stage turned into a beachy paradise for her rendition of “Teenage Dream.” Perry was joined by dancers dressed as anthropomorphic palm trees and beach balls, and was flanked by two people in blue shark costumes. The shark to her right hit every dance move with ease, but the shark to her left looked as though it was struggling to keep up. As Right Shark confidently danced to the beat with precise movements, Left Shark continued to flail its way through the set by contrast.
After the performance, the internet was ablaze with talk of Left Shark’s fumbling movements and even Perry herself joined in on the memes. It wasn’t until the following year that the man underneath the Left Shark costume spoke out. His real name is Bryan Gaw and he had actually been a part of Perry’s dance ensemble for five years. Gaw described the movements as “free-style choreography” and later told NPR he didn’t get anything but love after his performance. He even put his Left Shark moment on his resume.
Surprise Destiny’s Child reunion: 2013
Unlike more recent performances, Beyonce‘s 2013 Super Bowl halftime show was remembered for its significance. Not only did it feature impressive visuals, awe-inspiring choreography, a flaming guitar, and a stage of all-female musicians, but it also had a surprise cameo by Beyonce’s Destiny’s Child group members.
Halfway through Beyonce’s set, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child were literally launched out of the stage. They fired off a brief medley of songs, which included “Bootylicious” and “Independent Women,” before joining together for a rendition of “Single Ladies.” The entire performance created such a buzz on the internet that it garnered 268,000 tweets per minute, making it the then-most-tweeted about event in the history of the social media platform.
Fergie butchering “Sweet Child ‘O Mine”: 2011
It’s been just over a decade since the Black Eyed Peas took the halftime show stage and even ten years later, Fergie‘s performance of “Sweet Child ‘O Mine” is still hard to watch without grimacing. The show was meant to captivate a younger audience and contrast the prior year’s legacy act, The Who. In general, the group stayed true to the assignment – up until they decided to pander to an older crowd with a Guns N’ Roses cover.
Slash made a surprise appearance on the stage sporting his signature top hat and joined forces with Fergie to cover the band’s No. 1 track “Sweet Child ‘O Mine.” While Slash’s guitar sounded great, the same can’t be said of Fergie’s ill-advised decision to emulate Axel Rose’s wailing vocals and gyrating dance moves. The combo resulted in a jaw-droppingly bizarre performance which was most definitely memorable — just not in the way Fergie had presumably intended. The performance would be hailed in the following years as one of the worst Super Bowl halftime shows in history, and a poll by ESPN found 35 percent of respondents graded the event an “F.”
Bruce Springsteen’s iconic knee slide: 2009
Just remember at the Super Bowl halftime show 10 years ago Bruce Springsteen ran and slide his crotch into the camera on national television pic.twitter.com/hwFNKJct1Z
During his performance at the 2009 Super Bowl halftime show, Bruce Springsteen made it clear that he does all his own stunts. During a rendition of his song “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,” The Boss ran across the massive stage and attempted an epic knee slide towards the camera, which is now officially dubbed the “Springsteen Slide.” But Springsteen over-shot his slide a bit and ended up barreling into the camera, knocking it over completely. Thankfully, he didn’t seem hurt and played it off as a happy accident. He didn’t even miss a beat in delivering his song’s lyrics.
After the performance came to an end, the rocker was still in good spirits about the mishap. “I feel like I’ve just taken a syringe of adrenalin straight to the heart,” he said, explaining exactly what went down. “Then the knee slide. Too much adrenalin, a late drop, too much speed, here I come Mike BOOM! And I’m onto his camera, the lens implanted into my chest with one leg off the stage.”
Prince bringing on rain during “Purple Rain”: 2007
2007 — Super Bowl halftime show — closing with ‘Purple Rain.’
Prince‘s 2007 Super Bowl performance is remembered as one of the most awe-inspiring halftime shows. The set took place in the middle of an unexpected Miami downpour, but the weather ended up making the event all the more magical, particularly as he sang “Purple Rain.”
Before the show took place, organizers were told they shouldn’t worry about the weather because it hadn’t rained in the entirety of Super Bowl history. But the morning of the big game, the skies opened up in what was described as a torrential downpour. Prince decided to make the most of the moment. Totally unfazed by the weather, he went ahead with using four live electric guitars during his performance. The rain made the stage unbelievably slick, but the singer never faltered. In fact, he turned the dramatic weather to his advantage, especially during his rendition of “Purple Rain.” He even coaxed the entire crowd to sing along in harmony, creating a breathtaking moment even for those watching it from home.
Justin Timberlake giving Janet Jackson a wardrobe malfunction: 2004
Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake‘s 2004 set is perhaps the most-talked-about Super Bowl halftime performances in history — and it’s one we’re now collectively revisiting with Jackson’s new documentary, Janet. The two singers were performing a sultry rendition of Timberlake’s “Rock Your Body” track on stage. At the end of the song, Timberlake reached over and yanked off part of Jackson’s corset top, exposing her entire breast adorned with a gemstone nipple pasty. The infamous nip slip is frequently referred to as a “wardrobe malfunction,” though the way Timberlake ripped off Jackon’s top looked more than purposeful.
Over half a million FCC complaints came flooding in following the halftime show, prompting the FCC to launch an investigation. Then-chairman Michael Powell made a statement at the time, saying he was “outraged” by what he saw. “That celebration was tainted by a classless, crass and deplorable stunt. Our nation’s children, parents and citizens deserve better,” he said.
What people might not remember as much about the moment is the extent to which Jackson was reprimanded by the public. Though Timberlake joked about the moment in interviews, radio stations refused to spin Jackson’s then-new album Damita Jo and she was essentially dis-invited to the Grammys the following week. Jackson was then endlessly interrogated by the media after she declined to relive the incident in interviews.
Jackson addressed the so-called “wardrobe malfunction” in her recent documentary, where she essentially absolved Timberlake. While Jackson noted she asked him not to make a statement about the incident (which he clearly ignored), Jackson says the two are now on very good terms. “Honestly, this whole thing was blown way out of proportion,” she said in the film. “Of course, it was an accident. That should not have happened, but everyone is looking for someone to blame, and that’s got to stop.”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
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