When Jay-Z tried to stop 50 Cent from performing at the Super Bowl
Jay-Z has had a major impact on the Super Bowl halftime shows since the NFL joined forces with Roc Nation in 2019 in a deal worth $25million. Since his involvement, we’ve seen performances from Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, The Weeknd, Rihanna, Usher and Dr Dre, with the latter bringing out an impressive guest list. 50 Cent was one of the highlights of the show in 2022, but allegedly, it almost didn’t happen because of Hov’s say-so.
The N.W.A legend put on a spectacular show alongside 50, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J Blige and Anderson Paak. The set was full of classic songs such as ‘The Next Episode’, ‘California Love’, ‘Lose Yourself’ and ‘Forgot About Dre’, resulting in one of the best halftime shows in recent memory. 50’s appearance saw him perform ‘In Da Club’, while joining the rest of them for the epic ‘Still D.R.E.’
Jay-Z and 50 have had their competitive issues in the past and it spilled over into the planning of Super Bowl LVI, according to the G-Unit rapper. During his appearance on the Flagrant podcast, 50 claimed Jay tried to stop him from performing. However, Eminem apparently refused to perform if 50 wasn’t in the picture.
“He would do funky stuff like the Super Bowl, like it was not okay for me to be at the Super Bowl,” he said on the Flagrant podcast. “He didn’t want me, like they worked to make it [seem] like there was an issue with me and the NFL that doesn’t exist. [Like], ‘It’s them.’ Then Em says, ‘I’m not gonna do it if you’re not there.’”
When asked about his tension with Jay, he said, “It’s just competitive stuff. This is what I’m saying, when it gets past actual art, actual music, and you trying to block something in business, it feels weird. It feels like we should be having beef.”
He continued, “You go, ‘He said that to you?’ They’ll speak to your temperament, like, ’50’s a little a crazy. You see what saying anything did to Kanye.’ [Em said], ‘If he’s not coming, I’m not coming.’ And then that changes the whole thing, ’cause he really is the biggest. They can say what they want, but when we go to the stats, he’s the biggest one.”
50 admitted he was confused by Jay-Z’s actions. He would understand if he was competing in music, but he couldn’t quite get his head around stopping business from happening. “I think it’s just… our culture’s competitive, but I think when it goes past the music itself to blocking things in business, then I don’t understand that,” he told Cam’ron on his Talk with Flee show.
He added, “Right now, he’s not even competing for a slot. He doesn’t have a new song out that he wants to be top 10 and he’s still competing. It don’t make sense. What are we competing for? What’s the goal?”
Kendrick is next to headline Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on February 9th, with SZA confirmed as a special guest. Here’s hoping Jay didn’t block anyone from appearing this time around.