Hip-hop took center stage at last month’s Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show, but it hasn’t been an easy journey.
Snoop Dogg reveals the uphill battle JAY-Z, whose company Roc Nation co-produced the show, faced when he defeated Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar to perform at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Speaking to TIDAL, Death Row Records’ new CEO reflected on his friendship with JAY-Z and how the boss of Roc Nation threatened to end his partnership with the NFL if they didn’t allow Dre to perform.
“We love each other. We don’t love each other secretly, we love each other openly,” Snoop said. “It is what it is, so it’s for him to hit for us and say to the NFL, ‘Fuck it. You’re performing or I shut up, that was the gangster shit of it all.”
The NFL was also concerned about Snoop’s stage attire, but JAY-Z told him not to worry. “Then with clothes and knees and all that… can’t you wear your gangbang shit? JAY-Z hit me like, “Wear whatever the hell you want to wear. Peace to the gods.’”
After the performance, Snoop celebrated the historic moment with Hov. “So he came down and as soon as he came in he hugged me. We hug tightly. It was like we won a championship. Do you know when you’re really happy for each other? People don’t get it, me and he do. He’s the one in the east. I’m the one from the west.”
dr Dre previously announced that the NFL made some minor changes to their performance. While they were aware of Eminem taking a knee during “Lose Yourself,” they asked Kendrick to remove the “If Pirus and Crips all got together” lyrics from the beginning of “mAAd city.”
“They had a problem with that, so we had to take that out. No big deal. We get it,” he told TMZ.