Super Bowl Halftime Show Review
Melanie Ascoli
Staff Writer
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Super Bowl LVI took place on Sunday February 13th and resulted in an enjoyable game and a deserved win for the LA Rams. The game took place at the SoFi Stadium in LA, California at 6:30pm, but even people who aren't fans of football tuned in for the games historic halftime show. The Super Bowl LVI halftime show featured many famous 2000’s hip hop/ R&B artists like Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and a special appearance from Anderson .Paak and 50 Cent. This is the first halftime show to have its focus entirely on the R&B genre, and is also the first halftime show to have an all black group of performers. As a result, this halftime show was both monumental, and controversial.
Snoop Dogg opened up the performance with his hit “The Next Episode”, and was then joined by Dr. Dre for “California Love”. Then, hanging upside down from the ceiling, 50 Cent joined the stage to perform “In Da Club”, followed by Mary J. Blige sang two of her hits, “Family Affair” and “No More Drama”. Next, Kendrick Lamar, the youngest rapper on the stage, performed his hit “Alright”. Finally, Eminem appeared to rap with Dr. Dre on his song “Forgot About Dre”, before performing his song “Lose Yourself”. Dr. Dre then played a touching tribute to Tupac on the piano, before Snoop came to join him for the final song of the night, “Still D.R.E”.
Unlike the Weeknd’s performance from last year which was covered in shining visuals and a singing choir, this year's performance relied mostly on its star studded group of performers to deliver an entertaining show. For many people, the show did just that. This year's show received immense love and support from all over, with people praising the performers, type of music, and the nostalgia that came with it. The show mainly received praise from its younger audience and some of the older generations who grew up listening to 2000’s R&B. Nostalgia was a main factor in the performance, but it is clear online that many younger fans also appreciated the lineup.
Not everybody enjoyed the performance though, as many people, mostly of the older generations, stormed the Internet to express their disinterest and concerns over the show. Many complained about the fact that all of the performers were black R&B singers, which they saw as pandering to those who complain about diversity and equality, especially in the NFL. People who were born far before the boom of hip hop exclaimed that they had no interest in the show, and that the type of music performed was non inclusive. Controversy also rose after Eminem took a knee during Dr. Dre’s piano tribute.
The NFL has dealt with racial controversy in the past with Colin Kapernick and the knee that he took during the National Anthem. The NFL released a statement claiming that they had no issue with Eminem’s knee, but rumors on Twitter say that they originally objected to the movement. Rappers like Dr. Dre and Kendrick Lamar also felt their performance was overly censored, as both rappers had to remove a lyric from their songs regarding the police and police brutality.
Overall, whether you loved or hated the show, it is important to acknowledge that this was an important moment in the history of the Super Bowl halftime show. All of the performers gave it their all and they delivered a flawless and smooth performance. Many regard this as the best halftime show of all time, and whether that will remain true or not, this will be a show that is remembered for years to come.