50's Unanswered Questions

Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals was bigger than football, in fact, some might say the event was a "Celebration of Excellence". Two of the finest American sports teams pitted against one another in hopes of raising the Lombardi Trophy. However, beyond the pigskin - was another celebration, the celebration of Black Excellence. The 2022 Super Bowl halftime show was nothing short of legendary, the glitz and glamor of Los Angeles empowered the entire nation through the microphones of music heavyweights. Gracing the stage were generations of iconic hip hop pioneers - everyone from the Golden Age of hip hop such as Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, & Mary J Blige, to the Veterans such as Eminem and 50 Cent, to the newest generation of soon-to-be legends, namely Kendrick Lamar and Anderson .Paak. Nevertheless, bigger-than-life moments come with behind-the-scenes politics. 

Behind the star-studded performance, was Jay-Z's entertainment firm, Roc Nation. Roc Nation has partnered with the National Football League in hopes of bringing change to the landscape, such as the integration of Black culture into a predominantly white demographic. With this in mind, Jay-Z and Dr. Dre were at large when picking the show's entertainers. As many know, where Dr. Dre is found - Snoop Dogg and Eminem are probably in the same vicinity. Furthermore, where Eminem is found, 50 Cent is probably there as well. In a recent interview on rapper N.O.R.E.'s podcast, "Drink Champs", Snoop Dogg and N.O.R.E. discussed the ins and outs of the halftime show and revealed that Jay-Z claimed Eminem stated, "I can't do it if I can't bring 50 with me". Prior to the Detroit rapper's statement, Snoop Dogg had recalled the conversation with Jay-Z and expressed that Jay referred to Eminem as "the white guy", in the context of Em's performance request.     

Following the divulgence of this information, 50 Cent took to Instagram to ask a couple of unanswered questions. First and foremost, 50 was curious why Eminem would even have to make the request of 50's presence on stage, with a performance of this magnitude, 50 Cent assumed he would've been approached and asked to be a part of the show without Eminem having to speak up. Secondly, 50 Cent was curious as to why Jay-Z referred to Eminem as "the white guy", instead of a more fitting and well-deserved title as "the biggest rap artist in the world". These questions may never be officially answered, but they do pose more political adversity within hip hop, which may be a reflection of the world we are still living in today. All we can do is keep aspiring to create change and mold a more accepting reality for the generations to come.