Jay-Z Threatened to End His NFL Partnership Over the 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show
Rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z has worked with the NFL since 2019. Since then, the league has come under fire for its purported racial inequality behind the scenes. At one point, Jay-Z allegedly clashed with the NFL over the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show.
Jay-Z entered a partnership deal with the NFL
In 2019, the NFL launched a partnership with Jay-Z and his company Roc Nation that put them in charge of the league’s entertainment options, including the highly-viewed Super Bowl halftime show. The deal was criticized by some at the time given the context of the league’s treatment of former quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Since then, the Super Bowl halftime show has hosted performers including Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, and The Weeknd. The 2022 halftime show was an homage to hip-hop, as five legends took the stage for one unforgettable performance: Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem.
Jay-Z almost ended his deal with the NFL over the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show
In an interview with Tidal, performer Snoop Dogg recounted the performance and just how much it took to make it happen.
“Jay was the first one that came to the dressing room when I got offstage,” he recalled. “We had [300 Entertainment CEO] Kevin Liles in there. Kevin Liles had Jay on FaceTime, trying to show him where we was at. So then he came down, and soon as he came in he hugged me. We hug each other tight. It was as if we won a championship. Like, you know when you’re genuinely happy for each other?”
The “Drop It Like It’s Hot” rapper went on to praise Jay-Z for his work in the studio and on the stage. “People don’t understand, me and him are the ones. He’s the one on the East. I’m the one from the West,” he said. “We love each other.”
He added that Jay-Z experienced pushback from the NFL for having the all-star lineup of performers take the stage. “For him to go to bat for us and tell the NFL, ‘F*** that. They perform or I quit,’ that was the most gangster s*** out of everything,” he said. “Then with attire and kneeling and all this … you can’t wear your gang bang s***? Jay-Z hit me like, ‘Wear what the f*** you want to wear. Peace to the Gods.’”
Dr. Dre said the NFL approved the show
Snoop made references to the Crips throughout his performance, including a Cripwalk in his choreography and flashing a ‘C’ while wearing an all-blue outfit. The show also included a nod to Colin Kaepernick, with Eminem taking a knee in solidarity.
For his part, Dr. Dre clarified in an interview with TMZ just how far the NFL was involved in the show, and confirmed that they were aware that certain things would be happening during the show.
“There were a few things we had to change but it was like, really minor things,” he said. “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.”
