Super Bowl LVIII Archives - Page 4 of 7

NFL Not Demanding Taylor Swift Songs, Super Bowl DJ Claims

February 11, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Kaskade, who will serve as the first “in-game Super Bowl DJ” later today at Super Bowl LVIII has told TMZ that he is not being pressured to play Taylor Swift music. Kaskade, who stepped in to replace Tiesto after a family emergency ruled out the “Godfather of EDM”, said that he has received no mandates on content. As long as the tracks are clean, he has free reign on what he plays. Kaskade will provide music throughout the game, only handing off the reigns to Usher for the halftime show.

Of course, the NFL has been very eager to capitalize on Swift’s popularity. Swift first started attending Chiefs games in Week 3 of the season. This led to some grumbling from fans, who felt that Swift was often prioritized over the on-field product. It’s not the first time that Swift has been mentioned this weekend. 49ers depth receiver and musician Ray-Ray McCloud told TMZ he was focused on football and not meeting Swift.

Is Taylor Swift Attending The Super Bowl?

Despite having performed in Tokyo as recently as yesterday, it is believed that Swift will be attending the Super Bowl. Swift kicked off the Asian and European leg of her Eras Tour with a quartet of shows in the Japanese capital. However, for many people, this indicated that she would not be in attendance at Super Bowl LVIII in Vegas. Her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, is expected to play a pivotal role in the game. Despite this, Swift’s rapid departure from Tokyo indicated she was trying to make it back to the US before the game. Swift landed at LAX yesterday afternoon.

Furthermore, According to Entertainment Tonight, Kelce will be joining Swift for most of her Asian and European tour dates. “Travis and Taylor are all in… [They] are very serious about their careers. The two bond over that and want to show support for each other whenever they can,” a source told the outlet. Kelce previously used the Chiefs’ bye week to attend Swift’s concert in Argentina.

[via]

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Which Song Will Usher Open His Super Bowl Halftime Show With?

February 11, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Which song will Usher open his Super Bowl Halftime Show with? That’s the question on the lips of many fans as the countdown to tonight’s game in Las Vegas begins. For many fans, including Dolphins star Jalen Ramsey, there is a strong belief that Usher will start things off with “Yeah!”, which he has already confirmed will feature Lil Jon, Ludacris, and T-Pain. Meanwhile, another camp led by the Seahawks D.K. Metcalf, believes that Usher will open with some like “U Don’t Have To Call”. Furthermore, there are those, like the Ravens’ Kyle Hamilton, who think “Burn” will be the first song on the setlist. However, some believe that he might start with “Confessions”.

Usher’s performance will be unique as it is set to be 15 minutes long, as opposed to the traditional 13-minute sets seen at the Super Bowl. “I can’t explain why, but it’s a funny thing that I was able to do and craft. That was a huge strategic thing that happened between me and my agency,” Usher said of the extended runtime. Which song do you think Usher will open his show with? Let us know in the comments.

Post Malone & Others Prepare To Kick Off Super Bowl In Style

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However, Usher is not the only big-name musician set to perform in Vegas. Reba McEntire will perform “The Star Spangled Banner”, Post Malone will sing “America the Beautiful”, and Andra Day will close out with “Lift Every Voice And Sing” at tonight’s game. Last year’s game featured performances from Chris Stapleton, Babyface, and Sheryl Lee Ralph. Usher’s halftime show will look to outdo an electric (and pregnant) performance from Rihanna.

McEntire is a country legend, with three Grammy wins and 25 Billboard No. 1 singles. Malone is a 10-time Grammy nominee whose albums are 14 times platinum certified. Meanwhile, Day is a Golden Globe-winning, Oscar-nominated, Grammy-winning singer and actress. The trio should provide an electric start to the proceedings. Furthermore, Kaskade will serve as the first “live in-house DJ” for the Super Bowl.

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Is Taylor Swift Attending The Super Bowl?

February 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Speculation has arisen that Taylor Swift may be racing to Las Vegas to attend the Super Bowl after a rapid departure from Tokyo, Japan. Swift kicked off the Asian and European leg of her Eras Tour with a quartet of shows in the Japanese capital. However, for many people, this indicated that she would not be in attendance to watch her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, play in the Super Bowl. Despite this, Swift’s departure from Tokyo might indicate she is trying to make it back to the US before tomorrow night.

However, some players aren’t thinking about Swift’s potential impact. Musician, CEO, and 49ers wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud has told TMZ that his focus this Sunday is the Super Bowl, not meeting Swift. “I’m a big fan of greatness. She’s great at what she do. She big time. But, hey, this is football. We don’t care about no album coming out. We don’t care about none of that. Congrats to her on the Grammy thing she did, but we don’t care about none of that, man,” McCloud said.

Travis Kelce References Taylor Swift Lyric Change During Super Bowl Press Conference

TAYLOR SWIFT IS IN THE AIR

REPEAT

TAYLOR SWIFT IS IN THE AIR https://t.co/OQhfTnJEw0

— Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) February 10, 2024

Meanwhile, Travis Kelce made reference to Taylor Swift‘s Argentina concert lyric change when asked to “finish the lyric” at a Super Bowl press conference. When asked by a reporter to finish the lyric “Karma is the guy on the…”, Kelce said “Chiefs”. While some outlets reported this moment as Kelce getting the lyric wrong, he was actually making reference to the intentional change Swift made to the lyrics of the song for a concert last year.

Of course, Kelce was hit with a lot of questions about Swift, whose presence at the Super Bowl is in question due to her current tour schedule. Swift is performing in Tokyo until February 10, one day before the Super Bowl in Vegas. Swift and Kelce have been publicly together since Week 3 of the NFL season. However, Swift revealed during her TIME Person of the Year interview that they had been dating for at least a month before their first public outing.

[via]

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Super Bowl LVIII: Everything You Need To Know About Chiefs-49ers

February 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Super Bowl Sunday is finally upon us. After 20 weeks of high-octane football, just two teams remain in the race for the Lombardi Trophy. The Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers descend upon Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII. A rematch of Super Bowl LIV, can the Chiefs become the first back-to-back champions since 2004? Or will the 49ers lift the Lombardi for the first time since 1995? Let’s make the case for both teams.

Kansas City Chiefs (Taylor’s Version)

For the fourth time in the seven years since drafting Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs are in the Super Bowl. The NFL’s contemporary synonym for success, KC is looking to truly establish itself as a dynasty. However, the journey to become the first back-to-back champions since the ’04 Pats has been harder than in previous years. Going 11-6, the Chiefs were 9th in offensive yardage and 15th in scoring. The team continued to run through the established battery of Mahomes and Travis Kelce (23% of Mahomes passing yards, targeted 20% of the time). However, the Chiefs also found a draft gem in Rashee Rice (Drafted at #55, 938 yards). Furthermore, sophomore back Isiah Pacheco was nearly a 1000-yard running back.

However, the true power of this team was its defense. Justin Reid and Trent McDuffie (175 tackles between them) prowled downfield relentlessly. Meanwhile, Chris Jones and George Karlaftis (21 sacks combined) made opposing quarterbacks live in fear for 60 minutes a week. Overall, the defensive unit was second in yards allowed and points allowed. This has continued into the postseason, where three high-scoring offenses (Miami, Buffalo, Baltimore) have all been suffocated. This has been especially important in the latter two games, where the offense has struggled to run away with games.

Of course, we must also mention Taylor Swift, the team’s informal good luck charm after making her relationship with Travis Kelce public in Week 3. However, Swift will likely be absent from Vegas due to a quartet of Eras Tour shows in Tokyo ending the day before the Super Bowl.

If You’re Going To (The) San Francisco (49ers)…

The San Francisco 49ers return to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2020 when they lost to Kansas City. A 12-5 team in the regular season, the Niners were 2nd in offensive yardage and 3rd in scoring. Brock Purdy continued to prove that draft position means nothing, throwing for over 4200 yards and 31 touchdowns. The name of the game for San Francisco is overwhelming force. They had two 1000-yard receivers in Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle. Add in the league’s best rusher Christian McCaffrey (1459 yards, 14 touchdowns) and you get an offense that simply cannot be stopped.

The defense also shone in the Bay. 9th in yards allowed and 3rd in points allowed is what you’d expect from a five-loss team but is still impressive nonetheless. It all starts with the defensive line itself. Linebacking duo Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw combined for 252 tackles while the edge wasn’t any safer with 10.5 sacks from Nick Bosa. Not to say the defensive backs are any less impressive, but it’s less of a concern when the ball often doesn’t get past the line of scrimmage.

However, are the 49ers simply waiting to choke? Both of their playoff wins have been by a field goal. Against the Lions in the Conference championship, they needed to make the largest comeback in NFC Championship history to erase a 17-point halftime deficit. Despite their dominance, despite the regular season accolades, the 49ers have been unable to build a lead and hold it when it comes to the playoffs.

Chiefs-49ers: Who Wins?

Super Bowl LVIII is widely expected to come down to the wire. The Niners enter as -1.5 favorites. However, the over/under is set at a surprisingly generous 47.5. The matchup features two of the hardest teams to score on in the league this season. that means yards and points will be at a premium. It is also where the 49ers’ edge in this game emerges from.

The Chiefs offense lives and dies with Patrick Mahomes. Especially with the Warner-Greenlaw tandem shutting down the run, the Chiefs need Mahomes connecting through the air. Meanwhile, Brock Purdy doesn’t need to carry the 49ers. If Reid and McDuffie create too much of a no-fly zone, Purdy can lean on CMC’s unstoppable legs. If the Chiefs lean hard into stopping McCaffery, there are two 1000-yard receivers for Purdy to connect with.

Prediction: San Francisco 49ers 23 – 20 Kansas City Chiefs. As mentioned, this is likely not going to be a game where touchdowns are traded back and forth for 60 minutes. This is a game that will be won on defense. With touchdowns at a premium, the 49ers go up three late in the fourth but are able to deny Mahomes his signature game-winning drive with a last-stand defensive effort. But let us know how you think the game will play out in the comments.

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Rich The Kid Calls Kanye West “The GOAT,” Says He’s Betting $1M On The Super Bowl

February 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Rich the Kid has declared Kanye West “the GOAT” during a sidewalk interview with Baller Alert. “He is the GOAT, no debate,” Rich said. It’s a fitting declaration as Rich recently collabed with Kanye and Playboi Carti for “Carnival”, which appears on Kanye & Ty Dolla $ign’s now-released Vultures I. “Carnival” also caused some pre-release controversy as Ozzy Osbourne claimed that the song contained an uncleared Black Sabbath sample.

Furthermore, the impromptu interview also saw Rich reveal that he is planning to drop a massive bet on the Super Bowl. Rich said he was going to place a $1 million bet on Sunday’s game. The Chiefs and 49ers face off in Vegas in a rematch of the 2020 Super Bowl. An estimated $23.1 billion has been bet on the matchup. That eclipses the estimated $16B put down on bets for last year’s game between the Chiefs and Eagles. However, Rich refused to say which team he was putting his money on. Born and raised in Queens, it’s hard to say which team Rich will be backing.

Rich The Kid Announces Stacked New Album

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However, Super Bowl shenanigans and GOAT debate weigh-ins aren’t the only things that Rich has been up to lately. Rich recently announced that he will be dropping Life’s A Gamble, his first new album in four years. Furthermore, the new project, which Rich says he has been working on since 2022, is stacked with features. Kanye West, Rob49, Offset, and Travis Barker have all been confirmed for the album, with more features expected to be announced.

Meanwhile, Rich was also spotted filming a music video at a Hawks game alongside Quavo. It’s unclear if that is for Life’s A Gamble or the rumored joint collab between himself, the former Migos member, and Kanye. Rich has said that Life’s A Gamble will be out “Spring 2024” so expect more news in the coming months. Are you excited for the album? Let us know in the comments.

[via]

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Usher Will Show Off His Roller Skating Skills During His Super Bowl Halftime Show This Weekend

February 10, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Usher is just a few days away from performing at the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in Las Vegas, and he is giving fans a glimpse of what to expect — including some fun tricks. As an early teaser, he mentioned that he would be recreating a roller skating sequence that played a role in his Vegas residency, which wrapped last year.

Roller skating plays a big role in Usher’s life. In 2022, he joined a bunch of celebrities including D-Nice, Q-Tip, Gayle King, Meek Mill, and more to help open the Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace at NYC’s Rockefeller Center. Usher also serves as the company’s brand ambassador, and he performed “U Don’t Have To Call” as the headliner for the opening night party.

“When you think about skating, it’s not just rolling and the music. It’s also to what you wear. It’s how you feel,” he told Access Hollywood.

“Somewhere during the pandemic I had this bright idea to just go back to having fun, and that’s what this is,” Usher added. “I want to offer the same thing to people who come here to dance, and listen to music, have a few drinks, and just chill out or even get on skates and have a good time. Again, you might fall down but you get back up, but you have fun.”

As for other possibilities of what to expect, Usher might bring some surprise guests to the Super Bowl, including Justin Bieber, Alicia Keys, and more.

Alicia Keys Is Reportedly Joining Usher, Her ‘My Boo’ Collaborator, For The 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show

February 9, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Will Ludacris perform with Usher at the 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show this weekend? What about Justin Bieber? We don’t know for sure about either of them yet, but speculation has been flying. Now, we have our first report that claims to confirm a guest is joining in on the fun.

According to a report from TMZ, Alicia Keys is set to join Usher during his big performance this weekend, on February 11. The publication notes, “Sources close to the production confirm eyewitness accounts that AK rehearsed with Usher inside Allegiant Stadium on Thursday.”

This follows a February 8 tweet from Las Vegas Locally, a popular X (formerly Twitter) account that covers Vegas-related news, that said, “Lil Jon, Alicia Keys, and Usher are at Allegiant Stadium practicing their Super Bowl performances.” So, if that tweet is accurate, Lil Jon is involved, too, not just Keys.

Lil Jon, Alicia Keys, and Usher are at Allegiant Stadium practicing their Super Bowl performances.

— Las Vegas Locally (@LasVegasLocally) February 9, 2024

Keys and Usher, of course, collaborated on “My Boo,” which was a No. 1 hit in 2004. So, presumably, the song made Usher’s Super Bowl setlist. Usher and Jon, meanwhile, linked up (along with Ludacris) on “Yeah!,” another No. 1 single from 2004, so it appears we can expect to hear that classic song in Las Vegas, too.

Learn more about how to watch Usher’s (and Keys’, it looks like) performance here.

Lil Wayne Really, Really Wants To Play The Super Bowl Halftime Show In 2025 For A Sentimental Reason

February 9, 2024 by newhiphopnews

It seems that the days of musicians rejecting the NFL’s Super Bowl Halftime show slot are long over. Thanks to the co-sign of Jay-Z, the league has been able to secure some of the industry’s biggest acts in recent years. As the recently dubbed King Of Vegas, Usher was the only logical headliner for Super Bowl LVIII’s show.

But for the 2025 show in New Orleans, there’s one person who just leapfrogged to the front of folk’s minds. Yesterday (February 8), Hollygrove representative Lil Wayne put his bid in to play the coveted concert. During a chat with YG and Stevie on their 4HUNNID podcast, Lil Wayne not only expressed interest but lamented that he hasn’t even been contacted yet to begin talks.

“I will not lie to you, I have not got a call or nothing,” he said. “But we are praying. We praying. We keeping our fingers crossed. I’m working hard. I’mma make sure this next album and everything I do is killer. I wanna just make it hard for them not to holler at the boy.”

Lil Wayne is an avid sports fantic (even a part-time commentator), hometown hero, and rap superstar, so why not? It’ll be a good while before an act is secured for the 2025 Super Bowl, but as Lil Wayne implied, it’s best to put your bid in early.

Super Bowl LVIII will air on CBS starting at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on Sunday, February 11. Find more information here.

Will Justin Bieber Perform With Usher At The 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show?

February 9, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Usher played a major role in Justin Bieber’s career, as he served as a mentor to the eventual global pop sensation when Bieber was just a kid with a dream. So, with Usher’s Super Bowl Halftime Show coming up this weekend, people can’t help but wonder:

Will Justin Bieber Perform With Usher At The Super Bowl Halftime Show?

We don’t know for sure yet, and we might not until the performance is actually underway. But, it looks like Usher has at least put in the ask.

According to TMZ, Usher reached out to Bieber directly (meaning no “my people will call your people” situation, just two music superstars talking 1-on-1) and asked him to join him. TMZ’s sources didn’t know how that conversation ended up going.

Meanwhile, a previous Daily Mail report from October 2023 said, “[Usher] really wants to prove himself worthy of such an honor because he definitely sees that the excitement level for him doing it is not at an all-time high. He has asked some of his friends who are artists to help him out and join him on stage, and he has thrown a few ideas towards Justin.”

That report also noted Bieber “is leaning towards letting Usher do his thing and Justin would rather have the opportunity to do the Super Bowl on his own in the future if he were to be asked.”

That was months ago, though, so it’s possible Bieber has changed his mind since then (or that the report wasn’t accurate to begin with). He canceled his world tour in 2023 due to health issues, but he did just perform during NHL All-Star Weekend. So, who knows?

How Long Is Usher’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Performance?

February 9, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Usher Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show Press Conference 2024 — Getty Image

This weekend will feature one of the biggest days of Usher’s career, when he takes the field at Super Bowl LVIII for the halftime show. Usher has a number of hits spread throughout his storied career, but he’ll likely have to pass over some of them given the time restraints of the performance. Just how much time will Usher have, though?

How Long Is Usher’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Performance?

Usually, performers are given 13 minutes for their halftime shows. Usher, however, said in a recent Entertainment Tonight interview that he managed to get 15 minutes. He said, “I can’t explain why, but it’s a funny thing that I was able to do and craft. That was a huge strategic thing that happened between me and my agency.”

In the same conversation, he explained that Rihanna’s Super Bowl performance from 2023 was a big inspiration for his, saying, “Rihanna’s was fire because of the choreography and the way they did something that felt like a concert. It actually was a great deal of inspiration [for] how I began to think of my show. If you ever came to my residency, it was all about being immersed — being immersed in an experience that is all of these things that wouldn’t necessarily go together.”