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Now you’re all set with your plans to watch the Super Bowl there’s every reason to get set to enjoy the game. As is tradition, halftime isn’t just technical analysis. Since the first Super Bowl in 1967 the big game has had the entertainment to heighten the grandeur of the event. American trumpeter Al Hirt played with marching bands from two stateside universities BACK THEN. Times have changed and the show has evolved with popular taste. The 2022 Super Bowl LVI halftime show is quite a draw with Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar all on the bill.
Super Bowl LVI halftime show
The Super Bowl 2022 performers might not all be in their heyday or first run on the music scene, but are still all very relevant. Dr. Dre, Eminem and Snoop Dogg defined the era of 1990s hip hop and adorned many record collections during their initial run. Given the lyrical content of some of their repertoire; NFL officials might have asked them to change some wording – given what was acceptable to rap about then might not be as welcome with a contemporary audience.
Anyone interested in what a show with the three looks like needs to look no further than footage of the ‘Up in Smoke Tour’ which is surely floating around on YouTube somewhere. There’s excessive swearing, nudity and more content which might not suit all audiences. Don’t expect a show quite like that, but there will be some kind of medley with songs like Still D.R.E, Forgot About Dre and the Next Episode included. Albeit revamped for 2022 viewers.
Joining them on their Super Bowl halftime debut is Kendrick Lamar. Another artist from the hip hop genre but Kendrick is a few generations on, having enjoyed mainstream popularity in the 2010s. ‘Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City’ dropped in 2012 and saw him even collaborate with Dr. Dre on a few tracks, which could easily slip into the setlist here.
Mary J Blige has played at the Super Bowl halftime show before. In 2001, she was a guest artist when Aerosmith and NSYNC headlined the show. Yeah, the 2000s were a weird time, weren’t they?
Even weirder is that Super Bowl XXXV featured the New York Giants, unthinkable by today’s standards given they went 4-13 this year. Should Blige play at another Super Bowl halftime show after this one, she’ll level Justin Timberlake and Gloria Estefan for most appearances with three.
Previous halftime shows
Clearly, the Super Bowl LVI halftime show will not eclipse the high standards set by Black Eyed Peas in 2011. I jest. This is comically seen as one of the worst halftime shows ever. A setlist compromising of party songs and special guests who visibly didn’t care for the show, Usher was visibly upset while Slash as ever was hidden beneath his sunglasses and top hat. In theory, this was the worst thing to happen that night, but the Pittsburgh Steelers on-pitch performance wasn’t much better either.
In actuality, the success of the Super Bowl LVI halftime show will be ranked against shows like Prince in 2007, U2 in 2002 and Beyonce in 2013. This trio more-or-less defines what a good halftime show looks like. The Destiny’s Child frontwoman commanded the stage with an entire narrative and structured story. Whispering Halo to explosive energy with Crazy in Love. This one was worth paying money for by itself.
Different direction and vibe but U2 put in a heart-wrenching performance. Bono might not be to all tastes but this show was grandiose and had the live crowd on the edge of their seat. Where do we even start with Prince? If the Super Bowl LVI halftime show could somehow incorporate the guitar solo from Purple Rain we could call it great already.
