Rapper Eminem knelt during the Super Bowl XLV halftime show despite alleged objections from NFL officials. According to a report from PuckNews, which published some behind-the-scenes details about the halftime show, Eminem wanted to take a knee in support of Colin Kaepernick and informed the NFL of his plans, but the league asked him not to. He did it anyway, however, while the league has denied making any objections. The Detroit-based rapper performed at this year’s Super Bowl halftime show alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige.
According to the report, Dr. Dre went back and forth with league officials about the lyrics and content of the songs that he could perform onstage. The league reportedly did not want Dre, Eminem and other artists to focus on divisive culture war issues after a rebound in ratings over the past season. NFL ratings had been declining for years before jumping 17% in the 2021/2022 season.
PuckNews also reported that the league attempted to throw cold water on Eminem’s plans to kneel in support of Colin Kaepernick. The rapper and longtime left-wing activist ignored alleged NFL objections, however, and knelt during the performance.
Eminem kneels during the halftime performance, after NFL officials reportedly shut down the idea #SuperBowl https://t.co/sHMyZB1FuW pic.twitter.com/UigAAEqemu
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 14, 2022
The league also reportedly took issue with some of Dr. Dre’s anti-police lyrics. Dre first gained widespread recognition for his work with the rap group NWA, whose main hit was “***k The Police.” PuckNews claimed league officials wanted to remove “still not loving police” lyrics from Dre and Snoop Dogg’s “Still Dre”, which was released in 1999. Like Eminem’s kneeling, Dre’s lyrics ultimately made the final cut and were performed live. (H/T: National File)
Eminem was not the only one kneeling at the Super Bowl, though.
Two Los Angeles Rams players, safeties Terrell Burgess and Nick Scott, were also seen kneeling during the anthem, The Wall Street Journal reported. Both players have taken a knee during the anthem before, according to the Journal.
CNN media reporter Brian Stelter tweeted that NFL public relations said performing artists, like on-the-field personnel, were free to kneel if they chose.
NFL PR says Eninem’s kneeling was NOT a surprise: “We watched all elements of the show during multiple rehearsals.”
More: “A player or coach could have taken a knee and there would have been no repercussions so there was no reason to tell an artist she or he could not do so.”
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 14, 2022
“NFL PR says Eninem’s kneeling was NOT a surprise,” Stelter wrote. “‘We watched all elements of the show during multiple rehearsals.’
“MORE: ‘A player or coach could have taken a knee and there would have been no repercussions so there was no reason to tell an artist she or he could not do so.’”
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