SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOWS

Stephen A. Smith Is Now Bringing His Trash Takes To The Music World, Apparently

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ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is well-known for his controversial sports opinions — you could say he’s made his career on them. But perhaps out of habit, he just made a comparison that’ll have a whole new group of fans fighting mad at him.

The outspoken First Take host appeared on the daytime talk show Sherri, where he was asked about Rihanna’s upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show — it’s technically in his wheelhouse and gives the audience some common footing with him, so not a bad question, all told.

But his “first take” made an age-old comparison that isn’t likely to endear him to the daytime talk crowd, or to fans of the two artists he contrasted. “I don’t wanna say I’m not excited,” he said. “She’s fantastic. That’s not where I’m going with this. Ladies and gentlemen, she’s a lot of things. She’s spectacular, actually. And congratulations on new-momma-hood. There’s one thing she’s not. She ain’t Beyoncé.”

The two singers have been pitted against each other for years but doing so has become something of a sore spot. Unfortunately, Smith’s entire job more or less consists of comparing athletes to each other, so when he was potentially out of his depth (name one Rihanna song, album, or feature without Google, Stephen!) he fell back on what he knows.

Although, in his mind, he apparently had a good reason for doing so. “The only reason I brought up Beyoncé is because Beyoncé recently performed at the Super Bowl, with and without Bruno Mars and Coldplay,” he explained. “Rihanna’s music is fantastic. She’s great. She’s a sister. I love her dearly. I listen to her music. I’m gonna support her until the cows come home. I’m just telling you: for me, there’s Beyoncé and there’s everybody else. Just like there was Michael Jackson and there’s everybody else.”

Hey look, whatever floats your boat. But a word of advice for Smith: Kobe fans may drive to featureless California towns to fight you, but the Navy (and the Hive) never forgets. Turn off your notifications now.

Rihanna Just Teased Her Super Bowl Halftime Show With A New Trailer Acknowledging Her Musical Absence

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Rihanna has a major career moment coming up: On February 12, she will be playing the halftime show at Super Bowl LVII, held at Arizona’s State Farm Stadium. Since that news was revealed, there hasn’t been much in the way of info regarding what to expect from the performance. Now, though, there’s a new trailer.

It begins with Rihanna in a dramatically lit room, her hair done up in a tall and wiry style. All the while, overlapping voiceovers from various speakers make not of how long Rihanna has been away from music, saying things like, “Dude, Rihanna, we’ve waited for you,” and, “It’s been six years since the nine-time Grammy-winner dropped an album.”

The video ends with Rihanna shushing the camera as a brief snippet of her 2016 song “Needed Me” plays.

Meanwhile, Rihanna is fresh off an appearance at the 2023 Golden Globe Awards, where her Black Panther: Wakanda Forever song “Lift Me Up” was nominated for Best Original Song, Motion Picture. That award ended up going to Kala Bhairava, M. M. Keeravani, and Rahul Sipligunj’s “Naatu Naatu,” a Telugu-language song from the 2022 Indian movie RRR. Rihanna got multiple shout-outs during the broadcast, though, including a funny one from host Jerrod Carmichael.

Check out the trailer above.

Beyoncé, Kate Bush, And 2022’s Other Best Music Moments Get Broken Down In A New Top 5 Video

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We’re at the point in the year where it’s not quite done yet, but done enough to start looking back on everything that happened. That’s especially true of music, as year-end list season is in full swing (Uproxx recently ran our top albums and songs of the year lists, for example). 2022 was busy, but in a new “Top 5” video, host Jackie Powell condenses the past few months into five key moments.

She begins with one of the year’s biggest album releases: Beyoncé’s Renaissance. The comeback project was Queen Bey’s first album since 2016’s iconic Lemonade and the follow-up has earned similar acclaim. Both the album and lead single “Break My Soul” spent some time at No. 1 on their respective Billboard charts, and zooming out, the project added a new dimension to Beyoncé’s already complex and beautiful legacy.

One of 2022’s other most notable figures was Kate Bush, who had an unexpectedly prosperous year thanks to Stranger Things making her 1985 single “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” one of the year’s biggest songs. It topped Billboard‘s global chart, artists like Coldplay covered it, and it got Bush some hefty checks. Bush herself couldn’t really believe the tune’s resurgence, but stranger things have happened.

As for what else the “Top 5” video covers, you’ll have to watch above to find out.

Rihanna Fans Debate What Songs She Should (And Shouldn’t) Perform At Her Super Bowl Halftime Show

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Rihanna was officially confirmed as the headliner for the NFL’s 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show over the weekend. Following the announcement, fans were understandably excited for her to make a musical return in a massive way — her last album dropped in 2016. Still, Rihanna has countless hits spanning several records, which sparked a divisive question online: what would (or should) her setlist look like?

While it’s currently unclear if Rihanna will be playing solo for the halftime show’s entirety or be considering special guests, it seems that the NFL might be pushing her to bring some surprise stars on stage. According to TMZ, there is currently a list of over 50 performers that could join her, but nothing has been confirmed. Rihanna’s collaborations — which include Drake, Jay-Z, Britney Spears, Paul McCartney, and Kanye West — could find themselves making a potential appearance as well.

After Billboard published a piece about what they think Rihanna’s set should be, many fans were confused by some clear omissions, including “Kiss It Better” and her debut single “Pon De Replay.” On social media, other publications asked Rihanna’s Navy fan base directly on what songs they think she should perform. Continue scrolling to see some of the fan reactions, which include everything from her massive hits to some hidden gems meant for the fans.

Did Rihanna Ever Turn Down A Super Bowl Halftime Show?

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Yesterday, Rihanna announced that she is performing for the 2023 Super Bowl’s Halftime Show, with none other than a cryptic Instagram post of her hand holding a football. The news was eventually confirmed by the NFL, both on social media and in statements.

“We are thrilled to welcome Rihanna to the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show stage,” NFL Head of Music Seth Dudowsky said in a statement. “Rihanna is a once-in-a-generation artist who has been a cultural force throughout her career. We look forward to collaborating with Rihanna, Roc Nation, and Apple Music to bring fans another historic Halftime Show performance.”

However, Rihanna actually had an opportunity to play the halftime show years earlier — and turned it down. She was originally considered to play in February 2019, instead of Maroon 5. She declined the deal to stand in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, who protested racial injustice as a 49ers player in 2016. (According to The Guardian, he settled a case with the NFL after claiming he was “blackballed” following his kneeling peaceful protest. He left the team in 2017.)

“Absolutely,” she told Vogue in an interview from October 2019, after being asked if that’s why she declined. “I couldn’t dare do that. For what? Who gains from that? Not my people. I just couldn’t be a sellout. I couldn’t be an enabler. There’s things within that organization that I do not agree with at all, and I was not about to go and be of service to them in any way.”

A few years later, Rihanna finally accepted the offer. She also returned to Vogue in April for a cover story, ahead of the birth of her first child. The interview seems to hint at why she accepted the halftime show — and might even say yes to putting new music out. “I think I even say yes to more now,” Rihanna said, “because I know it will be different on the other side of this. At first, I expected some magical change, but really I remain who I am.”

Super Bowl LVII will take place on 2/12/2023 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

Dr. Dre Explains The ‘Extreme Pressure’ Of Super Bowl Halftime Shows: ‘I Don’t Know If I’ve Ever Been That Nervous Before’

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Getty Image / Ronald Martinez

Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Mary J. Blige nailed it with their memorable Super Bowl Halftime Show performance from earlier this year. It was just revealed over the weekend that Rihanna will be performing at the 2023 Super Bowl, so Dre offered some advice. He also reflected on what his own experience was like.

In an interview with Apple Music 1 host Ebro Darden (as Pitchfork notes), Dre explained how nerve-wracking his performance was:

“It made me extremely nervous. I don’t know if I’ve ever been that nervous before. Not only that, I don’t know if I’ve ever looked more forward to a Monday morning. So it’s the preparation and making sure you have the right people around you. All of these people came through for me, and everybody was extremely enthusiastic about the show. We had a good time, although it’s a lot of things and a lot of people you have to depend on. You’re talking about at least 3000 people that you have to depend on to get this show right for 13 minutes. So it is an extreme amount of pressure, but it’s fun at the same time. When it’s done, it’s like goosebumps, bro. I got goosebumps, especially from the reaction that we got from the show, and especially being able to do the show with all of my friends.”

Of Rihanna, he said, “I just like her and what she does, and her get down, and how she approaches her artistry and the whole nine. It’s fantastic. She has the opportunity to really blow us away. I know we set the bar extremely high.”

Dr. Dre Offers Advice To Rihanna For Her First Super Bowl Halftime Show Performance

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For just about a literal minute, it looked like Taylor Swift was going to headline the Super Bowl LVII halftime show, at Arizona’s State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023. That’s what reports said, but those reports were quickly followed by others indicating Swift isn’t actually taking the field. Not long after that, though, the world learned who is actually taking over Super Bowl halftime in 2023: Rihanna.

Dr. Dre — who did this year’s Emmy-winning halftime show alongside Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Mary J. Blige — knows what he’s doing on that front, so he has given Rihanna some advice.

In an interview with Apple Music 1 host Ebro Darden (as NME notes), Dre offered, ““Put the right people around you and have fun. That’s basically what it is, making sure you have the right creative people around you. She might want to look into some of the people that we used to do our show.”

He also had some general praise for Rihanna, saying of his admiration of her, “I just like her and what she does, and her get down, and how she approaches her artistry and the whole nine. It’s fantastic. She has the opportunity to really blow us away. I know we set the bar extremely high.”

The Super Bowl Halftime Show Will No Longer Be Sponsored By Pepsi

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Pepsi has announced that the company will no longer sponsor the NFL’s Super Bowl Halftime Show after 10 years as the musical partner for the show. In that time, fans have seen memorable performances from the likes of Beyonce, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, The Weekend, and most recently, Dr. Dre and friends. Although the beverage company didn’t give a reason for the change, a release on Twitter thanked the 26 musical acts who played the show over the past decade.

“After 10 years of iconic Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show performances, we have decided it’s time to pass the mic,” Pepsi’s official Twitter posted. “Thank you to the amazing artists and fans who helped us create some incredible moments along the way. Now on to the next stage… ” A follow-up tweet recounted some of the Halftime Show’s accolades over the past few years. Pepsi touted, “26 musical acts representing 168 Grammys and almost 1,000 Billboard hits have rocked the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show stage over the past 10 years.”

There have been no similar announcements from the official NFL or Super Bowl Twitter accounts, the latter of which hasn’t been updated since December of 2021. Meanwhile, a press statement from Pepsi says that the company’s overall partnership with the NFL will continue, introducing new programming, sports drinks, and activations for the NFL.

Classic Eminem And Dr. Dre Albums Are Back In The Top 10 After The Super Bowl Halftime Show

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This year’s hip-hop-focused Super Bowl Halftime Show — featuring Dr. Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, and 50 Cent — was generally well-received. It also managed to renew interest in some of the performers’ music, as the new Billboard 200 chart indicates: On the chart dated February 26 (which accounts for listening activity from February 11 to 17, while the Super Bowl was on the 13th), albums by Eminem and Dr. Dre have returned to the top 10 for the first time in years.

Eminem’s Curtain Call: The Hits (a former No. 1 on the chart) had a major rise, as it ascended to No. 8 this week, up from No. 126 the previous week. That’s thanks to about 31,000 equivalent album units earned, an increase of 256 percent. Meanwhile, Dr. Dre’s 2001 rose from No. 108 to No. 9 with about 30,500 units (a 220-percent increase). Its previous peak was at No. 2 on the chart dated December 4, 1999.

This is the first time Curtain Call has found itself in the top 10 since the chart dated March 11, 2006, when it was No. 8. The last time 2001 was in the top 10 was on the May 13, 2000, when it ranked No. 9.

Those albums were well-represented during the halftime show: Eminem performed “Lose Yourself,” while three 2001 songs — “The Next Episode,” “Forgot About Dre,” and “Still D.R.E.,” made the setlist.

Elsewhere on the chart, the smash hit Encanto soundtrack is once again No. 1, for a sixth total week. That ties it with Adele’s 30 for the third-most weeks spent at No. 1 in the last five years (since January 2017). Ahead of those LPs are Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album (ten weeks) and Taylor Swift’s Folklore (eight weeks).

Britney Spears Thinks Eminem ‘Should Have Had Way More Time’ For The Super Bowl Halftime Show

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This year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show was a big one thanks to all the mostly-early-’00s hip-hop and R&B firepower involved (Kendrick Lamar was the only headlining performer whose first album came out in the 2010s). A non-hip-hop icon of that era, perhaps the biggest, was Britney Spears, and now she has shared her thoughts on the performance and how nostalgic Eminem’s appearance made her feel.

On Instagram yesterday, Spears wrote, “Wow [face screaming in fear emoji] !!! @Eminem last night at the Super Bowl … he should have had way more time … he was everything to me when I was younger and it was so weird in the first two seconds I saw him on stage last night I felt like I was 17 again !!! It’s honestly kinda scary how certain artists and music can do that … we are so lucky to live in a world [globe emoji] where music can give us hope … identity … acceptance …and love [hearts emoji]!!!”

Spears has famously popped up in Eminem lyrics on several occasions over the years, and not usually in a flattering or laudatory way. On “The Real Slim Shady,” Em raps, “You think I give a damn about a Grammy? / Half of you critics can’t even stomach me, let alone stand me / ‘But Slim, what if you win, wouldn’t it be weird?’ / Why, so you guys could just lie to get me here? / So you can sit me here next to Britney Spears?” He also said on “Ass Like That,” “I am Triumph, Britney Spears has shoulders like a man / And I can say that and you’ll laugh ’cause there’s a puppet on my hand.” On “Marshall Mathers,” he raps, “An anti-Backstreet and Ricky Martin / Whose instinct’s to kill *NSYNC, don’t get me started / These f*ckin’ brats can’t sing and Britney’s garbage.”