Eminem gets down on his knees, 50 Cent hangs upside down, Kendrick Lamar comes out of a cardboard box and Snoop, Dre and Mary J. Blige prove they are the best. It was undoubtedly the most significant moment of the night and was highly anticipated for all Hip Hop lovers. Although this performance was not without controversy.
The Super Bowl intermission was a parade of iconic hits that demonstrate the cultural prestige of hip hop in the United States. Nobody missed the presence of pop music in this edition. Undoubtedly a vindication of the musical genre that serves as the soundtrack of many lives.
The most striking thing about the performance was that it was the first time that the NFL hired a pure hip hop act for its main performance in the halftime entertainment. Specifically, Dre’s appearance was one of the most anticipated of the night because he promised surprises for his Super Bowl performance, but there wasn’t exactly anything unexpected in his performance. Perhaps he was referring to the performance itself to his words after the end of the game.
“We’ll open more doors for hip hop artists in the future and make sure the NFL understands that this is what should have been a long time ago”
Dre said at the press conference
While it’s true that Dre is a seminal figure in the hip hop world, undoubtedly one of the most eye-catching moments came after Eminem’s decision to take a knee at the end of his performance. And, although the NFL didn’t want it to happen, the rapper knelt as a show of protest. Another controversy was the image where Snopp Dogg allegedly appears with a cigarette.
All the controversy of every year aside, the truth is that this year’s Super Bowl performance did not disappoint. Between them, these artists have sold 600 million records and have 22 commercially released albums. Their music sets the soundtrack to popular culture.
Víctor Andrés