Go Rams! Super Bowl LVI was very back-and-forth in terms of football, but very entertaining nonetheless! Last week, I wrote about the halftime show, speculating about what would be seen and heard, and after watching, I can definitely say this was one of my favorite halftime shows of recent memory, and a lot of the reception on social media was positive. So, let’s break down the performance of a show that’s sure to go down in the history books!

Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg opened up with a hit from the former’s hit album, “The Next Episode”, and it’s very calming, yet gradually building instrumental made for the perfect opener. It also transitioned really well into “California Love”, a song Dre did with Tupac that is considered to be one of the defining songs of west coast hip-hop. Dre doing his verse was electric, and kept up the momentum nicely.

The biggest surprise was right after, with a guest appearance from 50 Cent! He performed his most famous song,“In da Club”, and debuted upside down on the set, much like he does in the video! 50 may not have had the best performance, but it was cool to see him make an appearance, and I’ve always enjoyed his songs. Next up was Mary J. Blige, who performed “Family Affair” and “No More Drama” back-to-back. I wasn’t all that familiar with Blige as an artist, but I can definitely see the appeal. Her first song helped add to the fun vibe from the past songs, while her more introspective second song was very passionate and stood out. I was fully prepared to find her one of the weaker parts of the performance, but she nailed it!

Kendrick was up next, doing “M.A.A.D City” and “Alright” for his set. For me, personally, this was the weakest part of the show, not because I hated how Kendrick sounded (he was clearly giving it 110%), but I’m just not the biggest fan of the songs, and it felt the most disconnected from everything else. Still, he wasn’t bad, and the dancers he had to accompany him were superb! 

Last, but certainly not least, Eminem comes in, performing his most famous song, “Lose Yourself”! While I wish he had perhaps one other song like most of the other performers, Eminem still gave it his all, and there was no denying the new wave of hype that rippled through SoFi Stadium!

To close out the show, Dre then followed Eminem with a quick, but sweet, piano tribute to Tupac, in the form of the melody of “I Ain’t Mad at Cha”, and then everyone came in to help him close with “Still D.R.E.”, perhaps his most famous hit. The beat is just as cool as it was in the 90’s, and not only was it a great finale to an awesome show, it also works in the way of recognizing the legacy and impact of Dr. Dre and all these artists that helped him perform. They were pioneers of this genre of music, and continue to be at the top of their game when it comes to performing. In terms of excitement I had for halftime shows, my anticipation was high, and I wasn’t let down!