Game Time! A Short History of Rappers Performing at The Super Bowl
When you sit down and think about it, Nicki Minaj is going to make history when she performs alongside Madonna at Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday. Although many people point to 2003's "Nipplegate" and blame Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake for the lack of young talent during the Super Bowl halftime show in recent years, the truth is that hip-hop music has never had a real presence at the Super Bowl before. Years ago, marching bands were a big hit when it came time to book a performer for the big game. Then, the NFL favored huge pop stars like Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, and 'N Sync. And, just when it looked like the league might embrace hip-hop, Janet and JT forced the NFL to look to older singers and bands who were less likely to cause controversy while providing halftime entertainment.
However, what Nicki's doing right now isn't completely unprecedented. In the past, there have been a few hip-hop acts who have snuck on stage (figuratively, not literally) at the Super Bowl to perform during halftime. So in light of the fact that Nicki will be joining Madonna on stage tomorrow, we decided to honor those acts by taking a look back at the most prominent hip-hop performances at the Super Bowl. Super job, guys.—Chris Yuscavage
Click In The Gallery Below To Begin
Rappers at the Super Bowl
Rappers at the Super Bowl 1
The Rapper: Queen Latifah
The Super Bowl: Super Bowl XXXII (1998)
Her Performance: With Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, and The Temptations on stage alongside the Queen, she didn't get much airtime. She also didn't rap. She instead sang "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" to help introduce Boyz II Men. But she was the first rapper that got invited to appear on stage during the Super Bowl.
Rappers at the Super Bowl 2
The Rapper: Nelly
The Super Bowl: Super Bowl XXXV (2001)
His Performance: We're really not sure why the NFL didn't invite Run-DMC to perform "Walk This Way" with Aerosmith back in '01. But, at least they didn't leave rap out altogether by inviting Nelly. He sounded a little ridiculous rapping the words to his hit "E.I." over the classic track (and what the hell was that jersey?!). But, we guess we can't really complain considering how few rappers have gotten an invite. Especially since the NFL also let him perform at Super Bowl XXXVIII.
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Rappers at the Super Bowl 3
The Rapper: Diddy
The Super Bowl: Super Bowl XXXVIII (2004)
His Performance: Sorry, Puff. But you got totally overshadowed by Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake during this halftime show. In fact, we couldn't find a single clip of you performing during that show. But, you were there and you can say that you were one of the only rappers to appear on stage during a Super Bowl halftime show. Not bad for a guy who doesn't even write his own rhymes, huh?
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Rappers at the Super Bowl 4
The Rapper: Queen Latifah
The Super Bowl: Super Bowl XLIV (2010)
Her Performance: Okay, okay. So Latifah wasn't rapping here. She was singing "America The Beautiful." But, hey, it's a sign of how far she's come and how far rap has come to see her singing at the Super Bowl.
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Rappers at the Super Bowl 5
The Rapper: The Black Eyed Peas
The Super Bowl: Super Bowl XLV (2011)
Their Performance: Whether you're a Peas fan or not, it was nice to finally see someone who wasn't covered in wrinkles (sorry, Rolling Stones!) on the Super Bowl stage. Those outfits were really something else, though.
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