Hip-hop made its official debut in the NFL. The 2022 Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show was an electrifying performance that featured Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg,  Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and 50 Cent. The stage, set up like white buildings and a dance party below, at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California was literally too small for the hip-hop royalty that graced it. 

 Dre and Dogg kicked off the show performing their 2011 hit, “The Next Episode,” which also featured the late Nate Dogg, who passed away in 2011. They then went on to perform “California Love,” a song that was also missing a special cameo, Tupac Shakur, who passed away in 1996. There were rumors that a hologram of the late rapper would be featured in the performance. But as we can see, it was only that, a rumor. Despite the missing holograms, it was still an epic routine. 

The scene was then turned upside down to 50 Cent below, who performed his  Dr. Dre-co-produced hit “In Da Club.” What made it even cooler was how the camera panned down to 50, upside down and flexing, just as he did to kick off the “In Da Club” music video almost 20 years ago.

After 50, the camera went back up to the Queen of hip-hop soul who took us back to 2001 when she started belting out the lyrics to “A Family Affair” and “No More Drama” in thigh-high white boots.

 Below Lamar popped up, literally from a set of boxes with a group of dancers, rapping his 2015 song, “Alright.” The “Humble” Compton rapper’s performance was short but impactful, with militaristic choreography.  His outfit paid tribute to late, iconic designer, Virgil Abloh. He passed away from cardiac angiosarcoma at the age of 41 last November. 

The coat Lamar wore was from his final Louis Vuitton menswear collection that debuted last month in Paris.

And up from Compton to 8 Mile, Eminem came out with his hit, “Lose Yourself.” The Detriot rapper also did something that a few may have not noticed. He kneeled. Slim Shady was reportedly told by the NFL not to take a knee but as you can see Slim Shady is going to do what Slim Shady wants. And we love him for it. 

This is not the first time hip-hop artists and Black artists, in general, have performed during the halftime show. Over the years, Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, Queen Latifah, Nelly, Big Boi, Missy Elliott, Travis Scott, Bruno Mars, and Prince have taken over the stage. But this is the first time that rap was the center of the performance. 

Nonetheless, Super Bowl LVI was a big night

for black artists. It began earlier that day with Mary Mary who performed “Lift Every Voice And Sing,” followed by Grammy-nominated country singer Mickey Guyton, who performed the national anthem before kickoff. 

“Hip-hop is the biggest genre of music on the planet right now,” said Dre. “So it’s crazy that it took all of this and all of this time for us to be recognized. So I think we’re going to go on and do a fantastic show and we’re going to do it so big that they can’t deny us anymore in the future.”

Needless to say, the door for hip-hop and R&B has officially been open to the NFL, and let’s hope it remains like that.