A legendary lineup! Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem and Mary J. Blige brought down the house during their halftime show at Super Bowl LVI.
The musicians performed together at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Sunday, February 13, during a break from the game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams.
Dre and Snoop kicked off the show with “The Next Episode” and “California Love.” 50 Cent then made a surprise appearance to perform his hit “In Da Club.” Blige followed with “Family Affair” and “No More Drama” before Lamar took his turn on the mic with “Alright.” Eminem subsequently made the crowd go wild with “Lose Yourself,” and Dre and Snoop finished off the epic display with “Still D.R.E.”
The NFL announced in September 2021 that Dre, 56, Snoop, 50, Lamar, 34, Eminem, 49, and Blige, 51, would headline the halftime show.
“The opportunity to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show, and to do it in my own backyard, will be one of the biggest thrills of my career,” Dre said in a statement at the time. “I’m grateful to Jay-Z, Roc Nation, the NFL and Pepsi as well as Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar for joining me in what will be an unforgettable cultural moment.”
Jay-Z, whose Roc Nation company collaborated with Pepsi and the NFL on the halftime show for the third consecutive year, also teased the performance at the time.
“Dr. Dre, a musical visionary from Compton, Snoop Dogg, an icon from Long Beach, and Kendrick Lamar, a young musical pioneer in his own right, also from Compton, will take center field for a performance of a lifetime,” the rapper, 52, said in a statement. “They will be joined by the lyrical genius, Eminem, and the timeless queen, Mary J. Blige. This is the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show. This is history in the making.”
Snoop told The Associated Press earlier this month that headlining at the Super Bowl was a “dream come true,” especially since he got to share the experience with his friends.
“We’re all one. We’re all united together,” the “Drop It Like It’s Hot” rapper noted. “If you really look at it, that’s what the world needs to understand — that we need to come together as opposed to division or separation.”
Snoop hoped to follow in the footsteps of rap artists who previously performed at the Super Bowl, including Nelly, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Travis Scott and Queen Latifah.
“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,” he explained. “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.”
As for potential nerves, Snoop speculated that he would not be worried until viewers’ reactions started rolling in.
“I’m not going to understand it until it happens,” he said. “While it’s happening, I’m in the zone. I’m stuck to the script, laser focused, being on point, sounding good, looking good and feeling good. I want to give off a great presentation. After the fact, it’s when I’ll be nervous about watching it to see what the reaction is. But while I’m going through it, it’s nothing.”
