Eminem took a knee during the Super Bowl LVI half-time show, despite reports claiming that the NFL was trying to stop him from doing so.
It's not clear what the NFL's official position on the gesture was beforehand, but reports suggested that they'd asked him not to take a knee during the show.
Em joined an all-star cast on stage for the short medley performance, performing a snippet of ‘Forgot About Dre’ as well as ‘Lose Yourself’.
At one stage, he dropped to one knee in the style that has become symbolic of the Black Lives Matter movement, and championed by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
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Joining Eminem for the groundbreaking performance, which many have described as the greatest Super Bowl half-time show of all time, were Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, and 50 Cent.
50 Cent actually appeared unannounced and hanging upside down by his feet, although that’s another story entirely.
The Super Bowl half-time show is no stranger to controversy, obviously.
In the break between halves at Super Bowl XXXVII, Justin Timberlake exposed Janet Jackson’s breast, then later on in 2012 MIA flipped her middle finger towards the audience during her performance alongside Madonna.
So, that’s potentially why the NFL wouldn’t want anything controversial to happen this year.
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Of course, the cast of characters that they chose aren’t exactly shrinking violets when it comes to controversial antics either.
Still, it seemed to go off relatively smoothly and without a hitch, and fans have been absolutely made up with the performance.
One person said: “Best halftime show ever, it’s over”
Another said: “This halftime show is like when you put on your throwback playlist. Best halftime show in years.”
“THIS IS THE BEST HALFTIME SHOW EVER HOLY S***”
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When the line-up was announced ahead of the NFL’s showpiece event, watched by billions around the globe, Dr Dre released a statement that said: When the line-up was announced, Dre said: "The opportunity to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show, and to do it in my own backyard, will be one of the biggest thrills of my career,
"I'm grateful to JAY-Z, Roc Nation, the NFL, and Pepsi as well as Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar for joining me in what will be an unforgettable cultural moment."
The SoFi Stadium sits in Inglewood, Southern California, which is where Snoop Dogg, Dre, and Kendrick Lamar hail from, making their performance even more meaningful and triumphant.
Topics: Super Bowl, Celebrity, Music, Eminem, Sport
Tom Wood