Sunday’s Super Bowl halftime show, also known as the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show, not only featured some of hip-hop’s greatest artists, but also saw Eminem take a knee.
The incident took place after the rapper performed his 2002 hit “Lose Yourself.” The kneeling gesture became the subject of controversy when former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick used it as an act of protest against police brutality and racial discrimination.
Eminem takes a knee during the Super Bowl LVI halftime show at SoFi Stadium on Sunday in Inglewood, Calif.
Kaepernick, a former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, was heavily criticized for starting this form of protest during the national anthem at a 2016 preseason game.
Since then, athletes from various sports and at all levels have taken a knee during the national anthem in solidarity with Kaepernick and his message.
Eminem has a history of supporting Kaepernick’s efforts. In 2017, during the BET Hip Hop Awards, he performed an explosive 4.5-minute freestyle rap, criticizing former President Donald Trump and embracing Kaepernick and his message on racism and police brutality.
Eminem also included Kaepernick in the lyrics of his 2017 song “Untouchable,” where he rapped, “Somebody’s got to be the sacrificial lamb… So they call it Kaepernick’s tantrum…”
Sunday’s performance was the first time hip-hop artists had headlined the Super Bowl halftime show. Along with Eminem, rappers Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar and R&B singer Mary J. Blige also performed.
The Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in Sunday’s Super Bowl.