By Keith A. Owens
Seems like everybody else is talkin’ ‘bout it this mornin’ so I guess I will too.
Halftime at Superbowl LVI. Or fifty-six (56) if you don’t read Roman Numeral.
There are all kinda ways to come at this, but I’ll start here: it is way, way, way past time for rap and hip hop to finally be acknowledged at this level. This music has changed the game, changed the culture, and in many ways changed the world in a way that no other art form has managed to do since the birth of rock and roll, and before that jazz, and before that the blues which gave birth to both. Oh, and all of ‘em created by Black people. Holla if ya hear me.
Rap and hip hop are the soundtracks of not just the current generation but of the generation before that. It is probably the soundtrack of close to 90 percent of all those football players who were on the field last night (both teams), as well as the rest of the NFL players roster and the NBA too. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was secretly the soundtrack of a good number of hockey players too.
Saying all this to say that the mammoth impact of rap and hip hop is unavoidable, no matter how many of my generation may try to duck, hide, and avoid. Rap and hip hop are like taxes; they will find you. And if Madonna and the Stones earned a halftime show, then God knows there is no excuse for not giving the stage to Snoop Dog, Dr. Dre., Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, Crip, and “Fitty,” all of whom were featured in last night’s stellar performance. Some were even arguing that this may have been the best halftime show of all time.
Wait. Stop. Pump the damn brakes. Holdup.
What?
Regardless of which generation you claim – or which generation is claiming you – let’s get one thing straight, because truth matters about the #1 Halftime show of all time. I got one word for you. You ready?
Prince.
OK. Glad we got that settled. Moving on.
So whether or not the NFL actually did tell Eminem not to take a knee, I really don’t care. The NFL says that conversation never happened. Maybe yeah, maybe naw. But I do know Eminem is from Detroit, the 313, so if it did happen, then I can tell you fo’ sho’ that this would be all Eminem ever needed to cement his resolve to take that knee and flip the immortal finger to the Bigwigs Behind the Screen. Because don’t you evuh.
I can even imagine some of the conversations back and forth between Em and Dre.
Em: Yo, Dre, they tryin’ to tell me not to take a knee, man. So what you think?
Dre: (Endless laughter, mixed with curse words that cannot be reprinted here).
Em: Yeah, me too. I would tell them fools to hit 8 Mile, but they wouldn’t get it and couldn’t find it if they did. ‘Cause, why? Cause they ain’t from here.
Which brings me to my final thoughts about the show. This morning when I went downstairs to let the dog out, I turned on the TV, and “Morning Joe” happened to be on because we watch a lot of MSNBC around here. Joe’s show isn’t one of my favorites, but he had a guest on whose name I can’t even remember. White Guy.
And White Guy said something that struck me right there in the solar plexus like the Joe Louis Fist in Hart Plaza. He said that the NFL relentlessly tries to act like they’re promoting Black culture and are supportive of all things Black (until somebody takes a knee or has the nerve to inquire about available opportunities to flex real power inside the Black bone-crunching gears of the NFL organization).
“They want all the rhythm but none of the blues.”
Gott. *Damn.*
Mic drops. Sound of echoing footsteps walking away.
Thoroughly enjoyed this. Must share with my niece who has been going back and forth with her white colleagues who are more than convinced that Em’s taking the knee was, now get this, in memory of Tupac.