Super Bowl Halftime Show: Eminem defies NFL to take the knee in history-making performance
His name is…what? Eminem ensured that the 2022 Super Bowl half-time show would go down in history as he defied American football’s governing body, the NFL, by “taking the knee” in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, in an incendiary performance at Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium.
Half-time at the Super Bowl has sometimes been a stomping ground for rock icons whose glory days are vanishing in the rear view mirror (some of us are still trying to wake up after suffering through Coldplay and U2).
But, as the jewel in the American sporting tiara welcomed back a post-pandemic capacity attendance, it was obvious the 2022 event was going to be different. To begin with, the 20-minute slot was overseen by Dr Dre, an icon of hip hop and, in a previous life, a figure of some notoriety as a member of NWA (famous for their fandom of the LA Raiders football team).
That the producer and beat-master who had a hand in the NWA anthem F*** Tha Police should now be commanding centre stage on the biggest night in American entertainment was a turn-up for the books that was not lost on Dre, who grinned throughout this multi-headed celebration of rap’s legacy as a great American art-form. He had assembled a rhapsodic line-up of proteges and collaborators – including Mary J Blige and Kendrick Lamar. And, most notably, his old pal Eminem.
Dre had also apparently caused nerves to flutter at the infamously traditionalist NFL, amid rumours Eminem would take the knee in support of Black Lives Matter (an absolute taboo within the American football) and that Dre would would deliver the line “still not loving police” from his 2001 smash Still Dre.
The NFL is one of the most unyielding organisations in US sport and quarterback Colin Kaepernick was essentially run out of the game for inaugurating the tradition of taking the knee is support of minority rights.
However, Eminem stuck a finger in the eyes of authorities as, towards the conclusion of his turn, he duly bent on knee. Giving two fingers to the establishment had never felt so defiant or historic.
But a Super Bowl half-time show cannot live on political gestures alone. And in places, the set had an almost cuddly feel – especially whenever a beaming Snoop Dogg took the mic. And yet, it nonetheless fulfilled its function of highlighting the importance of hip hop, and, in particular, the West Coast scene that had flourished just a few miles from the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
Dre manned a vast white mixing desk atop a mock-up of a neighbourhood in his native Compton, the hard-knock LA neighbourhood that gave the world some of rap’s greatest talents. He was joined by Snoop Dogg (from down the road in Long Beach) while dancers, variously wearing hoodies and hiding inside cardboard boxes, gyrated below.
Framed by the hazy LA sunshine, the interplay between Dre and Snoop had an agreeably laid-back quality. There was humour, meanwhile, as 50 Cent – waving a flag for New York and the rival East Coast rap scene – appeared in a cutaway “club”, initially hanging upside down from a poll. The real star power was, however, uncorked by Mary J Blige, who, up above, glittered as she belted out Family Affair.
The intensity was then ratcheted up with the appearance of another son of Compton, Kendrick Lamar (and those dancers in boxes). He brought fire and fury to his rendition of his Black Lives Matter anthem Alright. Back on the roof, rapper and singer (and percussionist) Anderson .Paak grinned as he drummed along beside Eminem on Lose Yourself.
The artist otherwise known as Marshall Mathers then thumbed his nose at the NFL with that kneel before joining Dre, Blige, 50 Cent and Lamar for an Avengers-style closing flourish.
It was a super heroic finale to a performance that was simultaneously triumphant, thrilling and carried occasional glimmers of danger. And though the kudos for putting together the team-up must to go Dre, the real bragging rights went to Eminem. With the entire world watching, the Stan hitmaker had delivered.
