Dr. Dre Revealed Just How Much the NFL Was Involved in Eminem and Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Performances
The NFL recruited rappers Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem and the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige, for the Super Bowl LVI halftime show. Ahead of the show, rumors swirled that Dre was butting heads with the league over parts of the show that it wanted to change, including parts of Eminem and Kendrick Lamar’s performances. Now that the dust has settled, he addressed the elephant in the room regarding the NFL’s role in the show.
Dr. Dre worked with the NFL on the Super Bowl LVI halftime show
The 2022 Super Bowl halftime show was designed as an ode to hip-hop. With the game taking place in the heart of West Coast hip-hop and featuring three California rap icons — Dre, Snoop, and Kendrick — having such a lineup was a natural choice for this year’s show.
Many viewed the NFL’s decision as a way for the league to distract from the various criticisms it has received in recent years. Specifically, the league has been called out for its lack of diversity among team ownership and coaches as well as its treatment of Colin Kaepernick.
When it came time for the 2022 halftime show, Eminem, for example, knew he wanted to make a statement. He took a knee while Dr. Dre played the piano as a show of solidarity for Kaepernick.
Dr. Dre said the NFL knew about Eminem and Kendrick Lamar’s plans
Dre spoke with TMZ following the Super Bowl and clarified just how many things had to be modified during the show.
“There were a few things we had to change but it was like, really minor things,” he said. “Em taking a knee, that was Em doing that on his own and there was no problem with that.”
He went on to describe how Lamar had to tweak one of his lyrics in his song “m.A.A.d. city.” “I think the beginning of Kendrick’s set, he says ‘If Pirus and Crips all got along,’ they had a problem with that, so we had to take that out. No big deal, we did it,” he said. “But all in all, everybody came in, we were professional, everybody was on time and everybody really felt the magnitude of what this thing was and what we were gonna be able to accomplish.”
“It was a fantastic experience,” he added.
Dre celebrated with Mary J. Blige and McDonald’s after the Super Bowl
After the halftime show was over, Dre met up with his fellow performer Mary J. Blige at his home. “We’re talking about working together on her next project,” Dre said, before regretting leaking that bit of information. Dre produced Blige’s 2001 hit single “Family Affair.”
The following day, Dre celebrated his accomplishment by stopping at McDonald’s.
“There’s something about those McDonald’s French fries,” he said. “I deserve it today; I’ma treat myself and go and pig out today.”
