Mary J. Blige Proves Why the Super Bowl Halftime Show Needs Female Performers

I’ve long maintained that the Super Bowl halftime show belongs to women, with few exceptions. For those of us with no interest in football or zero stake in the teams represented, an event so stereotypically masculine and thoroughly silly is made bearable only by the knowledge that a pop diva will come swooping in during the middle of the broadcast to perform some of her greatest hits and frolic onstage in a ridiculous leotard. (That and, of course, party snacks.)

This year’s male-heavy Pepsi Super Bowl LVI halftime show, featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, a surprise cameo by 50 Cent, and Mary J. Blige, was less a visual spectacle or a display of showmanship (at least from most of the men) than a celebration of nostalgia and vibes. Despite an excellent setlist, I would’ve preferred 15 minutes of Blige’s iconic staggering in glittery thigh-high boots over a group of middle-aged men stiffly bopping around. However, we did manage to get some Crip-walking out of Snoop, which certainly counts for something.

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Marlow Stern

In all fairness, this year’s halftime show was noticeably different from anything the Super Bowl has hosted before. Likewise, there aren’t many templates for these artists to pull from the way pop and rock headliners can easily take notes from one another.

While the televised concert has featured rappers like Nelly, Queen Latifah, Big Boi and Bad Bunny, Sunday marked the first all hip-hop lineup—a choice that could presumably only be made with the help of Jay-Z, who controversially signed a deal with the NFL back in 2018 to diversify the halftime show and assist in other racial outreach efforts.

Hence, this year’s show comes with some built-in baggage in addition to however viewers react to the actual performance. Since axed NFL player Colin Kaepernick was ostensibly blackballed by the NFL for protesting police brutality, the halftime show has become a controversial and even unwanted opportunity for artists like Cardi B, Rihanna and P!nk. Other artists, primarily those in the rap community—including most of this year’s lineup—have voiced their support of Kaepernick. But like most protests supported by celebrities, Kaepernick’s cause has lost a lot of steam in recent years, despite the NFL accruing other racial controversies.

Thus, the NFL hosting Black artists in unprecedented numbers seemed like an obvious shield from growing accusations of anti-Blackness and systemic racism in the organization. For the most part, judging by the internet, it doesn’t seem like anyone is buying the NFL’s performative pandering, instead taking the nostalgic hip-hop performance for what it is. In that way, it was refreshing that this year’s event did not come with some sort of obligatory shout-out or signaling to the Black Lives Matter movement or any slain Black people on the artists’ part. (Although, the only white performer, Eminem, decided to kneel toward the end in the most corny fashion).

But let’s get into the actual show. The set began with West Coast legend and N.W.A member Dr. Dre performing “The Next Episode” on the roof of a series of connected houses and Los Angeles landmarks at center field. The staging felt reminiscent of last year’s Grammys where the nominated artists performed back-to-back on different parts of a shared stage and bopped their heads awkwardly as they waited their turn. Still, those performances felt less static, despite taking place in one location, thanks to completely revamped sets and backgrounds for each artist.

In the case of a halftime show captured in broad daylight, there are presumably more technical difficulties in creating atmospheres representative of each performer’s aesthetic and ethos—and maybe that was never the plan. Still, the show’s visual aspects, aside from Mary J. Blige’s bedazzled boots and cowboy hat, of course, was lackluster compared to what we’ve seen in recent years.

In a rousing moment that probably should’ve been placed toward the end of the show, Dr. Dre was joined by Snoop Dogg to perform “California Love,” sans a 2pac hologram, thankfully. From here, we transitioned rather abruptly to the hilarious image of 50 Cent hanging upside down from a ceiling and looking extremely uncomfortable, recreating the music video for “In Da Club.” Once his feet were on the ground, he performed the hit in a room of scantily clad female dancers.

So far, the excitement of the show was largely due to song choice and whatever middle school flashbacks these top 40 hits conjured. But Mary J. Blige finally brought the theatrical aspect of the show with “Family Affair” and an emotive rendition of “No More Drama” that ended in her collapsing to the floor, like every soul-bearing, live performance should prompt. Her presence was certainly missed throughout the rest of the show, considering her magnetism and the sheer amount of hits she amassed throughout her career. Additionally, many of us watched her perform a show-stopping medley of hits at the BET Awards in 2019 when she received a lifetime achievement honor. It’s a shame that the NFL didn’t think she was worthy of having this moment to herself.

Kendrick Lamar’s efforts to enliven the show matched Blige’s, as he recreated what looked like a yard show with male backup dancers all rocking dyed blond hair. He performed his most rousing hits “m.A.A.d city” and “alright,” the latter of which the crowd went wild for. Noticeably, the lyrics “and we hate po-po” were censored from the song, a disappointing and predictable negotiation for a mainstream event like this. (On the other hand, Dr. Dre was able to say “still not loving the police” on “Still D.R.E.” later on.) Rather ominously, Lamar ended his set by transitioning into “Forgot About Dre,” taking us into one of the worst parts of the night.

Speaking of crowd reactions, SoFi stadium seemed less enthused when Slim Shady showed up to perform the most predictable tune he could select, “Lose Yourself,” in the same, old worn hoodie. There truly isn’t much to observe about this particular moment, seeing as though it was as mind-numbingly dull and grating as his ambushing of the last pre-pandemic Oscars. Hopefully, no more global catastrophes will occur after this performance.

Despite whatever fond memories it may have brought, this year’s halftime show was pretty middling and forgettable amid a previous decade of show-stopping performances and artists pulling out all the stops. Additionally, it’s unfortunate that a historic celebration of hip-hop had to include a performer with a well-known track record of physically abusing women and another who was recently accused of sexual assault. If anything, tonight proved that going with female headliners is a safer bet on many levels.