The impressive 3-minute presentation showcased just how historic this season’s halftime show is bound to be
On January 20th, social media was awash with hype and cheer—and for pretty good reasons. Everybody was raving about the new trailer of the highly anticipated 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show. It previewed its class act of “five music titans” for the February event. Each artist was ushered into the scene with their classic hits rolling in the background. Who’re the icons in the roster? Here’s the low down on the star-studded ensemble.
Eminem
Touted as one of the world’s most renowned rappers, there’s no real rap fanatic that doesn’t have Eminem in their playlist. Before he adopted his various nicknames, he was known by his real moniker, Marshall Bruce Mathers III. His arsenal of achievements is spread out in his 26-year career—such as being the ninth selling artist of all time with 220 million sales and a full bag of 15 Grammy awards.
In the video, viewers will see double. Eminem and his alternate ego, Slim Shady, are face-to-face and thoroughly engaged in rearranging the lyrics of their famous hits. The floating words hint at classics like “Mom’s Spaghetti,” “Without Me” and “Rap God,” which is playing in the background.
Snoop Dogg
D-O-double-G, Snoop Dogg is also in the house! The 50-year-old has been in the rap ‘biz since 1992. He debuted his 29-year old career when he was featured in fellow Super Bowl performer and OG rap god, Dr. Dre’s single, “Deep Cover.” Fast forward to today, the rapper is versatile as ever. He remains an icon in the rap world, a famous TV personality (check out the ongoing Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party), the poster child for several memes and even an occasional commentator for the UFC.
What else is there for him to achieve? A Grammy! Snoop Dogg claims the top spot as the artist with the most Grammy nominations, a whopping number of 17 in total, but is yet to take home the highly coveted prize.
After Eminem, the trailer cues Snoop Dogg in a queue of pimped up cars. All of which are bopping to “The Next Episode” performed by none other than Snoop Dogg himself and Dr. Dre.
Mary J. Blige
The same age as the former, Mary J. Blige is a rose among the thorns in the all-star Super Bowl LVI ensemble. While she is also the only non-rapper in the bunch, Blige is no stranger to the music industry nor the Super Bowl stage (this is her 2nd time performing).
An icon herself, she’s been making strides since 1991 as a famous R&B singer with over 13 studio albums and 8 Grammys. She also disrupted the film scene with her exceptional talent in acting and music production with the 2017 movie Mudbound. Her spectacular performance in the theatrical release earned her a nod during the 89th Academy Awards.
Blige’s co-written 2001 hit, “Family Affair,” rolls her into view in the trailer. She’s all glammed up, strutting in front of the camera and dominating shoots and Times Square NYC billboards. Her scene transitions just like how everybody has—with a text message. She speeds off and we’re onto discover the next performer to fill the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show line-up.
Kendrick Lamar
The youngest but definitely not the least in the star studded team of 5. Lamar made history in 2018 for being the first non-classical or jazz artist to claim the Pulitzer Prize for Music. This was in recognition of his fourth and most recent album DAMN. His 13 Grammy awards is also proof of his supreme music abilities—of which covers his production of the soundtrack for the box-office Marvel Studios 2018 movie, Black Panther.
In the trailer, the 34-year old is sat down, humble and scribbling the lines and flow to his multi-awarded song, “HUMBLE,” in what looks like hundreds of pages.
Dr. Dre
This man’s colorful career can be traced all the way back to 1986, when he was still part of the five-member hip hop group called N.W.A. Since then, he has made rounds with several award-winning productions, 6 Grammys and successful business ventures as CEO for Aftermath Entertainment and Beats by Dre headphones. Under Death Row Records, he was able to sign Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar—who now stand by him as “friends” as he calls them and fellow performers in the 56th Super Bowl.
In the video, piano rhythms that hint at Dr. Dre’s previous collab with Snoop Dogg, “Still D.R.E.,” play on a secluded beach. The sound welcomes the OG rap god and one of the most influential figures in hip-hop culture. We then see the musical genius moving the final chess piece, indicating a “checkmate move” that is meant to signal the fulfillment of the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show line-up.
End of the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show trailer
In truly epic fashion, the “five music titans” meet and walk towards SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
This event is history in the making not only because it will take place on the world’s biggest stage but it will also be the first time that the Super Bowl Halftime Show line-up will feature five artists. A feat that’s difficult to follow! This comes after The Weeknd’s halftime show last year in Tampa, Fla.
Event partner and ROC Nation founder, Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter, shared through the NFL’s press release, “On February 13, 2022, at the Super Bowl LVI in Inglewood, CA, in the new SoFi Stadium, 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 the center field for a performance of a lifetime. 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.”
The show is slated to commence at 8 PM ET, 90 minutes after the NFL championship starts.
Channel your excitement and put a clear image to what we’ve been describing so far by watching the epic trailer below!