The NFL missed the mark more the once when it came to the Super Bowl’s halftime show, and all eyes were on this year’s midgame performance. It was promised to be for the culture, featuring a lineup of artists including Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, 50 Cent, and Kendrick Lamar.
The performance received great feedback, as fans were amazed.
But, according to The Shade Room, Snoop told Tidal that JAY-Z threatened to end his partnership with the NFL over the halftime show. Snoop said that the “Encore” rapper told the NFL if they tried to censor the performers or in any way bar them from remaining true to their brand, he would walk away from his partnership with them, The Source reports.
“We love each other. Like, not secretly, like, publicly, we love each other,” Snoop said, according to The Source. “It is what it is, so it’s like for him to go to bat for us and tell the NFL, ‘F**k that. They perform, or I quit,’ that was the most gangster s**t out of everything.”
“Then with attire and kneeling and all this … you can’t wear your gang bang s**t? JAY-Z hit me like, ‘Wear what the f**k you want to wear. Peace to the Gods,'” Snoop added.
Snoop continued, saying that HOV was supportive after performance as well.
“Jay was the first one that came to the dressing room when I got offstage. We had [300 Entertainment CEO] Kevin Liles in there. Kevin Liles had Jay on FaceTime, trying to show him where we was at. So then he came down, and soon as he came in, he hugged me,” the 50-year-old California native said.
JAY-Z joined forces with the NFL back in 2019 to oversee entertainment options and help the NFL with its “Inspired Change” initiative. As Blavity previously reported, fans were critical of the rapper’s partnership and skeptical about how he’d impact the NFL, and vise versa.
