With well-chosen songs, with important gestures and a lot of symbolism, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent provided perhaps one of the most important halftime shows in NFL history. As a “normal viewer”, it was definitely difficult to immediately recognise every homage, every sign.

Munich – Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and surprise act 50 Cent gave fans a terrific show during halftime at Super Bowl LVI. They also used the attention of millions around the globe to make some important political statements.

In a lengthy Twitter thread, political scientist Paul Schuierer-Aigner listed and explained some of the most important signs and symbols.

Attempt at a political-pop culture classification of what the NFL Superbowl halftime show offered.

1. 100 million people watch the Superbowl in the USA alone, almost one in three Americans, more than any other TV event.

2. yesterday was the first pic.twitter.com/77OSvZeyOp

– Paul Schuierer-Aigner (@pablodiabolo) February 14, 2022

It was no coincidence that the hip-hop greats had just performed at a Super Bowl in Los Angeles. The city is considered the birthplace of “West Coast hip-hop”, which was made popular above all by 2Pac, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. This is also why Dr. Dre played the melody of “Ain’t mad at cha”, the first posthumously released song by 2Pac.

After Eminem performed his song “Lose Yourself”, he got down on one knee. A scene that was strongly reminiscent of Colin Kaepernick and his fight against police violence against black US citizens.

These scenes also stand in a special light because Brian Flores, a black NFL coach, is currently taking legal action against the NFL because he feels he has been treated unfairly because of the colour of his skin.

Kendrick Lamar performs “Black Lives Matter” anthem

Another sign pro “Black Lives Matter”: Kendrick Lamar performed the song that has established itself as the anthem of the movement: “Alright”. The backdrop of the show also included several references. As Schuierer-Aigner describes in his Twitter thread, these scenes are set “in a recreated street scene with LA’s legendary burger joint, the county courthouse and the first known hip-hop club in the Californian metropolis”.

The halftime show at this Super Bowl was precisely not just a show, but a political-pop-cultural examination of the problems that still exist in the USA.