Hip-hop has moved the group at varied sporting occasions throughout its wealthy historical past.
Queen Latifah holds the excellence of being the primary rapper to carry out at a halftime present. The hip-hop icon rocked the mic at Tremendous Bowl XXXII in 1998. Though Latifah sung throughout her set, she left an indelible impression on the NFL, which allowed different rappers to grace future halftime phases.
For instance, Missy Elliott delivered a show-stopping efficiency at Tremendous Bowl XLIX in 2015—and she or he wasn’t even the headliner. The veteran rhymer was a visitor performer for Katy Perry and rapped a medley of her greatest hits, together with “Get Ur Freak On,” “Work It” and “Lose Management.”
One other memorable halftime efficiency occurred in 2022, when Dr. Dre headlined the Tremendous Bowl LVI’s Pepsi Halftime Present and introduced out Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent and Mary J. Blige. Everybody introduced their A-game and every artist delivered an electrifying efficiency.
Outdoors of soccer, rappers hit the stage at different sporting occasions as effectively. In 2011, Rihanna introduced out Drake and Kanye West to carry out throughout her headlining set at NBA All-Star Weekend. In 2013, Ludacris was tapped to be the musical ambassador in the course of the NCAA Closing 4 video games, which came about at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta. Luda was on the invoice for a halftime present that additionally featured fellow rapper Flo Rida.
XXL determined to make a journey down reminiscence lane and compiled a listing of 13 of essentially the most memorable halftime performances throughout a sporting contest. Test it out beneath.
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Queen Latifah Performs Throughout Tremendous Bowl XXXII
In 1998, Queen Latifah was certainly one of a slew of performers chosen to pay homage to the legacy of Motown Data in the course of the Tremendous Bowl XXXII halftime present. Performing her music “Paper,” which encompasses a pattern of the Motown traditional “I Heard It By the Grapevine,” Latifah made historical past as the primary rapper to hit the stage on the Tremendous Bowl, opening one more door for hip-hop.
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Nelly Performs Throughout Tremendous Bowl XXXV
Coming off the heels off his wildly profitable debut album Nation Grammar, Nelly joined music royalty in the course of the Tremendous Bowl XXXV halftime Present. Within the midst of ‘N Sync, Britney Spears and Mary J. Blige becoming a member of Aerosmith on stage for a rendition of their hit “Stroll This Method,” Nelly got here out of nowhere, dropping the opening verse from his personal hit single “E.I.” over Steven Tyler’s rollicking guitar riffs.
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P. Diddy and Nelly Carry out Throughout Tremendous Bowl XXXVIII Halftime Present
Diddy and Nelly co-starred alongside the likes of Jessica Simpson, Janet Jackson, Child Rock, and Justin Timberlake in the course of the Tremendous Bowl XXXVIII halftime present in 2004. Performing a medley of Unhealthy Boy’s greatest hits, together with “Unhealthy Boy for Life,” “Diddy” and “Mo Cash Mo Issues,” Diddy was joined by Nelly, who lit the group on hearth with a quickstrike from his 2002 hit, “Sizzling in Herre.” It was a historic second that is sadly been overshadowed by Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake’s Nipplegate controversy.
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The Black Eyed Peas Carry out Throughout Tremendous Bowl XLV Halftime Present
“Growth Growth Pow,” “Pump It,” “Let’s Get It Began” and “The place Is The Love?” are only a few of the picks The Black Eyed Peas carried out throughout their headlining efficiency in the course of the Tremendous Bowl XLV halftime present at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Along with rockers like Slash, The Black Eyed Peas have been additionally joined by Usher, who popped as much as carry out his will.i.am collaboration “OMG” earlier than the Peas closed issues on a excessive word with a reprise of their sing-along smash, “I Gotta Feeling.”
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Drake and Kanye West Carry out at 2011 NBA All-Star Weekend
In 2011, Rihanna carried out in the course of the NBA All-Star Sport halftime and introduced alongside a number of shock company to show up the vitality. Drake was the primary shock—he spit his verse from her Rih’s single, “What’s My Identify.” The Bajan singer later summoned Kanye West for a efficiency of “All Of The Lights.”
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Nicki Minaj Performs Throughout Tremendous Bowl XLVI Halftime Present
In 2012, Nicki Minaj appeared alongside Madonna and M.I.A. for a rendition of “Give Me All Your Luvin’,” their collaboration from Madonna’s MDNA album, in the course of the Tremendous Bowl XLVI halftime present.
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Ludacris and Flo Rida Carry out at NCAA Closing 4 2013
Atlanta consultant Ludacris served as a musical ambassador for his stomping grounds in the course of the NCAA Closing 4 2013, which was held at Centennial Olympic Park. Billed alongside a various listing of acts that included Sting and Dave Matthews Band, Ludacris pulled out the entire stops, turning up with signature cuts like “Pimpin’ All Over the World,” “What’s Your Fantasy” and “Roll Out,” displaying the attendees a little bit of southern hospitality in a giant method.
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Missy Elliott Performs Throughout Tremendous Bowl XLIX Halftime Present
In the course of the Tremendous Bowl XLIX halftime present at College of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Katy Perry gave the group and viewers a nice shock when she introduced out Missy Elliott. The rap legend had been comparatively quiet on the music entrance for a lot of the earlier decade, carried out a medley of her greatest fan favorites, with songs like “Get Ur Freak On,” “Work It” and “Lose Management.”
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Kendrick Lamar and Pharrell Williams Carry out at 2014 NBA All-Star Weekend
Hip-hop was in full drive in the course of the 2014 NBA All-Star Weekend, as Kendrick Lamar and Pharrell Williams have been tapped to hit the stage and participate within the festivities. Kendrick, who headlined the Saturday night time of the All-Star Weekend, carried out a medley of hits, together with “M.A.A.D. Metropolis” and “Bitch, Do not Kill My Vibe,” previous to the Sprite Slam Dunk, whereas Pharrell Williams joined Janelle Monae and Earth, Wind & Fireplace throughout All-Star Sport participant introductions.
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E-40 Performs Throughout Sport 1 of 2015 NBA Finals
In 2015, legendary spitter E-40 placed on for The Bay by performing throughout halftime of the collection opening match-up between his hometown squad’s Golden State Warriors and LeBron’s Cleveland Cavaliers. Hitting the group with bangers like “Inform Me When To Go” and “Decisions,” E-40 sprinkled his swagger everywhere in the courtroom, maybe offering an vitality enhance that helped Steph Curry’s squad to win the collection in six video games, giving the group its first NBA title in a long time.
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Desiigner Performs at Rucker Park
Brooklyn rapper Desiigner took his skills Uptown when he carried out at Rucker Park in 2016 in the course of the Entertainer’s Basketball Basic. With a standing-room-only crowd flocking to the courtroom, the G.O.O.D. Music signee delivered a charged-up efficiency of his breakout hit “Panda.”
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Flo Rida Performs Throughout Sport 2 of 2017 NBA Finals
Flo Rida could have made his bones popping out of the Florida rap scene, however the rapper confirmed Golden State Warriors followers time by delving right into a set that ran the gamut of his greatest hits throughout the second sport of the 2017 NBA Finals. “My Home,” “Good Feeling” and his Sage the Gemini collab “Sport Time” have been among the many tracks that Flo Rida pulled out of his seize bag of hits throughout his efficiency, which received everybody from youngsters to the Warriors cheerleaders concerned.
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Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and Extra Carry out Throughout Tremendous Bowl LVI Halftime Present
Dr. Dre unfold California love throughout his headlining set on the 2022 Tremendous Bowl. The hip-hop icon together with Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent and Mary J. Blige delivered memorable performances on the Pepsi Tremendous Bowl LVI Halftime Present on the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
Among the many highlights included Eminem kneeling after performing his Oscar-winning music “Lose Your self” in honor of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. After all, we won’t overlook Ok-Dot’s militant efficiency of “Alright.”
