Super Bowl Halftime Show: The 2000s called, they want their rap back

Status: 03:29 a.m | Reading time: 3 minutes

Dhe last play of the first half in the National Football League final was just played when rapping Star Power erupted in Los Angeles. The lights in the gleaming SoFi stadium were first dimmed before a huge white row of houses appeared out of the darkness down on the field, in front of which even cars were parked. Already after the first sounds it was clear: It will be a journey into the heyday of rap.

The halftime show at Super Bowl LVI was one for the history books. An enlightenment, especially for rap fans. The giants of the genre – Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige – fired line after line into their mics. It was the first time in NFL playoff history that hip-hop and rap artists would perform on the show. Michael Jackson performed at the last Super Bowl in Los Angeles.

Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre opened the show with their song “Next Episode” while standing on the roofs of the houses.

Snoop Dogg had wrapped himself in an idiosyncratic gold and blue tracksuit, the doctor opted for plain black. The two gave a best of their discography for the best.

Amazon and Twitter bosses in the stadium

Concentrated celebrities also in the stands of the stadium, the construction of which cost five billion dollars. Pocket money for Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, who watched in the stadium as well as basketball star LeBron James, actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey or the musicians Jay-Z and Jennifer Lopez.

Suddenly the cameras panned into one of the basements where 50 Cent was hanging from the ceiling. Surrounded by scantily clad dancers, Curtis Jackson, as half a dollar is called by his real name, maintained his sometimes questionable image as a gangster rapper in 2022. At least now one realized: The 2000s called, they want their rap back.

Hood deep in the face, that’s how you know Slim Shady

In times of crisis, people long for the “good old days”. Jackson, who was a surprise guest, rapped “In Da Club” and then passed the mic to Mary J. Blige, who performed two songs. In complete contrast to her glittering white outfit, Kendrick Lamar – all in black – rose from a group of dancers shortly afterwards.

Then legendary chords sounded through the stadium. At the end of the set, a house exploded and Eminem was standing on the roof. Gold chain around the neck, hood pulled down over the face, that’s how Slim Shady is known. Eminem rapped “Lose Yourself” like in the best of times. Dozens of dancers stormed in front of the house where the rap god hissed his rhymes into the microphone. dr Meanwhile, Dre rocked along at the mixer.

Incidentally, the star combo, which has 43 Grammys, performed free of charge, waiving the usual performance fees, well aware of the advertising effect that comes with around 800 million television viewers worldwide. Keyword advertising: 64 commercials had been filmed for the Super Bowl. 30 seconds of ad time cost $6.5 million.

dr Dre at the white piano

Among other things, Arnold Schwarzenegger let lightning flash in an electric car advertisement by BMW as the father of the gods Zeus. An original reference, after all, the former bodybuilder, actor and governor of California strutted through New York on the big screen as Hercules around 50 years ago.

But back to halftime. Down in the field the show continued. dr Dre introduced the classic “Still DRE” on the white piano with a few keystrokes. Then he and Snoop Doog, joined by Blige, 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar and Eminem, sang the song, the first few seconds of which will stick in every rap fan’s ears forever.

But as quickly as the word acrobats had rattled off their verses, the spectacle was over.

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