Dr. Dre put millions of own cash into Super Bowl halftime show to stop NFL ‘censoring’ performance

Published 10:49 15 Feb 2022 GMT

Danny Jones

Dr. Dre put millions of own cash into Super Bowl halftime show to stop NFL ‘censoring’ performance

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Dre reportedly reached into his own pocket to pull off the show

Dr. Dre reportedly paid "millions" of his own cash to ensure the Super Bowl LVI performance wasn't censored in any way following an iconic all hip-hop halftime show. As per a report by TMZ, the 56-year-old rap icon was fronting "most of the money necessary" to pull off the event as it was intended, according to sources. He went on to tell the outlet directly that only "minor changes" were made to the lyrical content. Dre took the stage with artists Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, as well as old friends Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent and, of course, Eminem, who made a powerful statement by taking the knee to round out the show. It was alleged that the National Football League attempted to "censor" the performance by requesting that Eminem - real name Marshall Mathers - not make the, sadly, still controversial gesture that former American football player Colin Kaepernick pioneered back in 2016. The NFL has since denied the suggestions, as Vice President of Communications chief Brian McCarthy said those involved with organising the high-profile performances "watched all elements of the show during numerous rehearsals." The Daily Mail reported that an insider close to the rapper said he paid $7m of the total $13m budget to stop their "disgusting" attempts to censor the performances. However, this figure is actually thought to be the amount The Weeknd put forward for his performance in 2021; Pepsi were also said to have paid a large chunk. The amount Dre paid has not yet been confirmed but historically those bestowed with the honour of performing on Super Bowl Sunday aren't paid for their performances. The rationale behind this is that the sheer level of exposure is so massive there is simply no need for a salary, as they pick up payment through further record sales/streams and brand deals etc. Regardless, it was clear that both love and money went into the performance which clearly meant a lot to Dre and his colleagues, as he gave a subtle tribute to Tupac as well. Was it the greatest of all time?