Gen Z, nostalgia & racial call! Hip-hop rocks Super Bowl halftime show

Staying true to tradition, NFL put a starry lineup for the Super Bowl halftime show. This was the first halftime show that had entirely rap and hip-hop artists. Stars like Dr Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg took the stage as the Los Angeles Rams faced off against the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium.

This was the first halftime show consisting entirely of rap and hip-hop artists. Stars like Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Snoop Dogg and surprise guest stars 50 Cent and Anderson. Paak took the stage and delivered a nostalgic performance!

The halftime show was kickstarted by Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre with their performance on 'The Next Episode' and 'California Love'.

Before the show, Dre and Snoop Dogg said that the NFL should have embraced rap years ago and they hoped to open doors for more hip-hop artists. Rap musicians have appeared previously but alongside pop and rock acts.

Queen of R&B hip-hop Mary J. Blige took the stage and performed her 2001 hits 'Family Affair' and 'No More Drama' wearing the white and silver bodysuit embellished with 10,000 Swarovski crystals. 

The highlight of the star-studded show was Eminem's act, who performed his Grammy and Oscar-winning number 'Lose Yourself'. The veteran rapper ended his performance by kneeling down and placing his head in his hand, a gesture that former quarterback Colin Kaepernick made during the National Anthem at NFL games as a call for racial justice.

Snoop Dogg was one of the five performers at the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show on Sunday. Dogg, who opened the show rapping on the roof of a row of homes next to Dr. Dre. said performing at the Super Bowl in his home state a “dream come true.” moment for him. 

"I'm still thinking I'm in a dream because I can't believe that they will let a real hip-hop artist grace the stage in an NFL Super Bowl," the musician, 50, explained in an interview. "We're just going to wait for that moment and put something together that's spectacular, and do what we're known for doing and add on to the legacy."

Rocking! Rapper 50 Cent, an unannounced guest, began rapping 'In Da Club' while suspended from a ceiling upside down.

At SoFi Stadium outside Los Angeles, the musicians sang a medley of hits and traversed the roofs and interiors of a row of white buildings assembled on the football field.