Dr Dre leads all-star Super Bowl show
Dr Dre, Eminem and Snoop Dogg were among the stellar list of rappers at the NFL Super Bowl half-time show. Photo: Getty
Dr Dre has led a crew of all-star rappers at a nostalgic NFL Super Bowl half-time show, which threw back to their community hip-hip roots.
NWA co-founder Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J Blige and Kendrick Lamar teamed up for the event, which also had a surprise appearance from 50 Cent.
The 56th running of the NFL’s showpiece event took place in the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, with home team the Los Angeles Rams taking on the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Rams won 23-20 to be Super Bowl champions for the second time – after a first title more than 20 years ago.
Before that, though, the half-time show was also a home event for Lamar, Dre and his protege Snoop, all of whom are from Southern California.
Emimen took a knee after his song – despite reports the NFL wasn’t happy about the protest. Photo: Getty
The pair kicked off the show with a rendition of their collaborative song The Next Episode, performed on top of a white community housing set complete with low rider cars.
A performance of west coast rap anthem California Love followed, with Dre singing the lyrics to song by the late Tupac Shakur, another of his rap disciples, while scores of dancers performed in front of the stage.
In a unexpected twist, rapper 50 cent, real name Curtis Jackson, appeared hanging upside down before joining the party with a performance of his hit song In Da Club.
R&B queen Mary J Blige followed, showing off her incredible vocal range as she performed on top of the set roofs alongside slickly choreographed dancers in sparkling one piece costumes.
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Lamar followed with his own group of dancers dressed in all black suits, wearing sashes reading “Dre Day”.
Finally, Eminem appeared and treated crowds in the 70,000-seat capacity stadium to a rendition of Lose Yourself.
Afterward, he continued the movement Colin Kaepernick started years ago by taking a knee – in apparent defiance of the NFL’s demands that the protest against police brutality and racial injustice not be repeated on game day. Despite the reports, a spokesman told USA Today that “the NFL watched every rehearsal this week and that element was included”.
Ahead of the show, Eminem told hip hop radio that the idea of performing during the big game was “f—ing nerve-wracking”.
“This to me … there’s nothing more final than live TV. So, if you f— up, your f— up is there forever,” he said.
After Enimem’s song, the crew reassembled on the roof for a final performance of Still Dre.
Eminem, Dr Dre, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, and Snoop Dogg perform together. Photo: Getty
The Super Bowl, one of the biggest cultural events in the US, featured the usual Hollywood star power, with blockbuster film trailers and celebrity-filled adverts appearing during the many commercial breaks.
A 30-second slot at this year’s Super Bowl reportedly costs about $US7 million ($A9.8 million) dollars.
This year’s offering included Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd teaming up for a humorous potato chips ad, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Salma Hayek becoming Greek gods to sell BMWs, and original cast members of the Sopranos recreating their famous opening credits for Chevrolet.
Mike Myers also reprised his role as dastardly comic villain Dr Evil for an Austin Powers-themed sketch to promote electric vehicles.
The Super Bowl was opened by actor Dwayne Johnson, who channelled his former pro-wrestler persona The Rock to welcome the world to the game.
-with AAP