Super Bowl LVI: Eminem’s controversial move to take the knee at Super Bowl halftime show
Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J Blige and Kendrick Lamar stunned the world at their Super Bowl halftime show with one jawdropping move. SEE THE VIDEO.
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Hip hop staked its claim for halftime glory with the all-star cast of Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J Blige and Kendrick Lamar bringing their greatest hits in a fast-paced set.
Despite reports the NFL had tried to keep the rappers from making any controversial statements during the show, Eminem finished his pumped-up performance of Lose Yourself by taking the knee.
Slim Shady has been a long and vocal supporter of former quarterback great Colin Kaepernick who left the sport after he kickstarted Black Lives Matter protests in 2016 by kneeling during the national anthem.
There were also rumours the organisers had tried to censor the lyric “still not loving police” in Still D.R.E but the master showman delivered the line during his finale.
Dre reportedly sunk almost $10 million of his own cash into the extravaganza, with none of the chart-topping performers paid for their big moment.
But for the rapper, the halftime set was more about making a cultural statement than it was about fuelling his catalogue on streaming services.
“We’re going to do it so big that they can’t deny us anymore in the future,” he said ahead of the much-anticipated set which is usually claimed by pop stars or heritage rock bands.
The set comprised a series of rooms on top of a lit map of LA with hot rods parked in front.
It kicked off with Dre and Snoop Dogg launching into the 2000 hit The Next Episode into the 1995 2Pac classic California Love.
But alas, despeite the huge rumour a Tupac hologram would appear as it did during Dre and Snoop Dogg’s Coachella set in 2012, it appears the budget didn’t stretch to the ghostly special effect.
Suprise guest rapper 50 Cent was up next, reprising the video to his breakthrough track In Da Club, hanging upside down as a bevy of dancers grooved around him.
The queen of r&b soul Mary J Blige took the rooftop centre stage for her double A side time-to-shine with Family Affair and No More Drama, dramatically collapsing onto her back after her energetic performance.
Rap’s next gen man-of-the-monent and Compton native Kendrick Lamar was the only one to perform on the field, fusing his M.A.A.D. city with Alright.
Basketball champion LeBron James lead the praise for the big on hits set, declaring it “THE GREATEST HALFTIME SHOW IVE EVER SEEN.”
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Amazon Alexa
Real-life married couple Scarlett Johansson and SNL star Colin Jost star in their first joint project. In the clip, Alexa appears to be able to read their minds — setting a reminder for Jost to “fake his own death” on March 8 as Johansson rehearses for a cringe-worthy show set to open on that date.
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BMW
This spot, advertising the brand’s electric vehicle, features Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Greek god Zeus. But when he stops by a coffee shop to pick up a macchiato, the barista butchers his name.
Expedia
Ewan McGregor reminisces about his experiences travelling in this spot for the booking company, which returns to the big game after over a decade of sitting it out.
Avocados from Mexico
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Squarespace
In this spot, Emmy-winning Euphoria star Zendaya plays Sally — who has trouble selling her seashells by the seashore, until she signs up with Squarespace.
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Uber Eats
Jennifer Coolidge, Trevor Noah, Succession star Nicholas Braun and Gwyneth Paltrow appear in this spot in which they receive non-food deliveries from Uber Eats like makeup and candles, and proceed to eat them.
Caesars Sportsbook
J.B. Smoove, Halle Berry and the Mannings — Eli, Peyton, Archie, and Cooper — headline the first Super Bowl ad for the sports betting app.
Bitbuy
Directly after the halftime show, Toronto Raptors star Kyle Lowry appears in this spot for the Canadian cryptocurrency exchange, which pokes fun at him for missing “over 6,000 shots” in his basketball career and encourages the viewer to not be like Lowry.
Bud Light Hard Seltzer
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Planet Fitness
Welcome back, Lindsay Lohan! The actress pokes fun at her headline-grabbing life, with the narration of William Shatner. In it, she “trades DUIs for DIYs,” beats Dennis Rodman at Jeopardy, and helps Danny Trejo decorate his ankle monitor — attributing her turnaround to joining Planet Fitness.
Lay’s
Celeb pals Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd star in this ad, reminiscing about snacking on Lay’s chips through memories of road trips, shared flights, moving into a haunted house, getting kidnapped and other “golden” good times.
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Hellmann’s
Pete Davison and former linebacker/current Patriots coach Jerod Mayo star in this spot for the mayonnaise brand, in which Mayo tackles various people who are perpetuating food waste. When he apologises to Davidson after tackling the Saturday Night Live, star, Davidson quips: “I get it. I’m very hittable.”
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AT&T
Demi Moore and Mila Kunis — the past and current wives of Ashton Kutcher — meet at their high-school reunion both thinking they will win the “most admired alum” award. The punchline: “We have a lot in common.”
Michelob Ultra
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