Some Super Bowl viewers this year will be focused on which team will come out on top, but others will be more focused on the halftime show. For Super Bowl 56 on February 13, the halftime entertainment will be provided by hip-hop heavyweights Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Kendrick Lamar along with Power: Book II’s Mary J. Blige. While these music superstars are used to performing in arenas and stadiums, the halftime show for the NFL's biggest game is a completely different animal. And Eminem is aware, as he got honest about his nervousness before the anticipated performance.
The Oscar-winning rapper has performed on live television numerous times for big awards shows like the Grammys and MTV VMAs. The Super Bowl performance is that, plus even more. Eminem was taken aback when his producer and mentor Dr. Dre called him to take part in the halftime show. The “Rap God” artist spoke to Shade 45 about how much pressure comes with serving as part of the halftime show.
I'mma tell you, it's fucking nerve-wracking. It's fucking nerve-wracking. This to me – there's nothing more final than live TV. So, if you fuck up, your fuck up is there forever.
It seems that performing on stages across the world didn’t prepare him for this opportunity. With live television in the age of social media, the performance will be “there forever” as the rap superstar pointed out. In the same Shade 45 interview, Eminem opened up more about the pressure of doing the halftime show. The rapper recalled what it was like getting asked by Dr. Dre to take part in the show.
When Dre first asked me, when the whole thing started going down and we were like, 'OK, this might be actually serious,' I was trying to envision what Dre might do. I was thinking like, yeah, that's dope that all of us are gonna rap together, and that kind of thing, but I didn't expect the production to be like this.
The hint from the rap music icon signals that the Super Bowl performance is about to be the talk of the internet. Of course, having Dr. Dre curate the show will allow the event to flow from artist to artist effortlessly. The production alone sounds like the biggest thing to happen in hip-hop in a long time. It seems that Eminem, the hip-hop super-producer, and the other acts are preparing to unleash something big.
A lot is riding on this year’s halftime show. Dr. Dre implemented a clever plan to prevent Super Bowl spoilers by playing rock music like Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bon Jovi to cover up the soundcheck. The strategy is understandable given the multiple discographies he must fit into a 12-minute set. He already has pumped millions of dollars of his money into making a spectacular extravaganza, which he could’ve lost had the Omicron COVID variant wrecked the performance.
Of course, viewers will have to wait until February 13 to see how well Eminem, Dr. Dre and their co-headliners do during the musical event. Hopefully, the show will break streaming records like The Weeknd's performance last year. You can find what outlets to watch or stream the 2022 Super Bowl to see how the entire event plays out. If football isn't your thing, you can check out our 2022 TV schedule to find what suits you.
