The 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show

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Amin Shah, Arts & Entertainment Editor

The 2022 Super Bowl game was certainly one to see, as the Los Angeles Rams made a swift comeback right at the very end against the Cincinnati Bengals, but some do not care about this. What many of us did care about was the halftime show (and the ads of course). At least my family did, as that was the only thing we tuned in to see during the superbowl and then continued watching Tom Hanks’ ‘‘Captain Phillips’’ (which is an amazing movie that I recommend, but that’s for another day). The lineup consisted of Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and a surprise appearance by 50 Cent. This hip-hop headline full of mostly older and nostalgic artists was certainly a surprise when it was announced, but a welcome one. The halftime performance began with Dr. Dre at the helm, starting with the classic ‘‘The Next Episode’’, then collaborating with Snoop Dogg for Tupac’s ‘‘California Love’,’ 50 Cent’s surprise performance of ‘‘In Da Club’’, Mary J Blige’s ‘‘Family Affair’’, Kendrick Lamar’s hit ‘‘Alright,’’ Dr. Dre and Eminem’s collaboration ‘‘Forgot about Dre’,’ Eminem’s ‘‘Lose Yourself’’ with Anderson Paak on drums, and ending off with Snoop and Dre’s ‘‘Still D.R.E.’’. Although a meaty lineup of artists and songs, the performance was too short to be as remembered as it should have been, as it only lasted around 10-13 minutes. With such a cast and lineup, a little more time should have been dedicated to the halftime show. Other than that fact, these energetic performances (especially Kendrick’s) were sufficient and very enjoyable to watch along with the choreography featured alongside these artists. Opinions on who should have won the Superbowl aside (it should’ve been the Bengals), everyone can come together to appreciate the cultural impact of all of these artists and how great it was to see them onstage all together, even if you aren’t a listener of rap or hip-hop music. I can’t wait to see what the future of Superbowl halftime shows hold, as I hope for something to surpass this one next year (although kind of unlikely, as it will be very hard to top this).