The Super Bowl halftime show is famous for its iconic performances. The 2022 show was yet another hit but has also been under fire for the underlying controversial messages that were portrayed.
The NFL football field has been one of the many places where dispute over police brutality has been reflected. Players supporting the Black Lives Matter movement took a knee on the sidelines, causing a disturbance among some fans and NFL stakeholders. This was a movement following Colin Kaepernick’s display in 2016. This method of protest was popularized despite being unliked by many fans.
Amidst the disputation in the past few years, it was made a point to keep the 2022 halftime show lighthearted and clear of political messages.Rappers Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre were not the only performers to take the stage, but they were the only performers who went against the wishes of the NFL. The show was an ode to the 90s babies in the crowd starting with the classic Snoop Dogg song “Next Episode.” Although the music was an instant hit in the stands,
Right off the bat, Snoop Dogg debuted an all-blue bandana tracksuit. To an innocent viewer, this may seem insignificant, but there was intention behind his outfit. The NFL specifically requested that he avoid anything that would affiliate him with the “Crips,” a violent street gang he was a member of in his 20s. Not only is blue the color that represents that Crips, but the bandana is what gang members would use to identify themselves. Not only did Snoop Dogg wear an all blue outfit, but he added the “Crip Walk” into his performance and repeatedly threw up the Crip gang sign.
Senior Taylor Buhr was a viewer of the Super Bowl halftime show. “Watching the show I didn’t think twice about his outfit or dancing,” she said. “I could understand why the NFL didn’t want gang references in the show, but it did not change my opinion on the show at all.” Many viewers felt as though the gang references were unimportant, “It wasn’t like it influenced me to join a gang.” Buhr adds.
From an outside perspective, it seems the show went on just as planned, but Snoop Dogg was not the only one to defy the NFL. Eminem, another performer, also used his spotlight to make a demonstration. After his performance of “Lose Yourself,” he bowed his head and took a knee, a powerful political gesture, that referenced the kneeling of Colin Kaepernick. Fans speculated that this was another display that the NFL attempted to keep out of the show, but it was not confirmed.
Buhr also commented on this display. “There was so much going on during the halftime show that I didn’t really notice he was kneeling,” she said “From what I’ve heard it’s about racial injustice and I’m glad he was showing support for what he believed in.” Although there was a strong push for a strictly uncontroversial show, the performers seized the chance to have millions of eyes on them. Many viewers were left unfazed and focused on the musical production instead.
But the defiance did not stop there. Dr. Dre also used his songs to send a message. The NFL requested that any negative language about law enforcement be censored. One of Dre’s hit songs, “Still Dre,” features the lyrics “Still not lovin’ the police.” NFL Representatives did apparently voice their concern with the controversy of the phrase and requested he skip that lyric. Following the theme of the past performances, he still vocalized the controversial message.
Senior Cece Fierce, one of the many viewers, vocalized her support. “I think he should have the freedom to sing the lyrics to his own song,” she conveyed. “They should not have attempted to silence him. I think it was kind of cool he defied their censorship.”
The halftime show was a blast from the past that featured artists popular in the 2000s. Despite the performer’s allusions, the show was a huge hit. Display such as the crip walk from Snoop Dogg may have came off as offensive to some viewers, but represented much of Snoop Dogg’s background in his life as an artist. Regardless of controversy on the stage, the show was a huge hit across all generations.
