The National Football League is now stating it was “aware” that rapper Eminem was going to kneel during the Super Bowl LVI halftime performance. They also responded to the notion that they informed him not to do so ahead of time.
“That report was erroneous,” NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said.
“We watched all elements of the show during multiple rehearsals this week and were aware that Eminem was going to do that,” he added.
Eminem joined Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar to perform for the much-anticipated halftime show. When Eminem’s turn onstage came, he performed a couple of his hits and eventually took a knee while performing “Lose Yourself.”
He would remain on his knee while Dre sat in front of a piano and played Tupac’s “I Ain’t Mad at Cha.”
Eminem taking a knee appeared to be an apparent tribute to Colin Kaepernick’s protests. The act of kneeling became controversial in 2016 after Kaepernick began using it as a form of protest against police brutality and racial injustice. The former 49ers quarterback first attempted to sit during the national anthem, but later turned to kneeling after retired Army Green Beret Nate Boyer convinced him to do so.
The quarterback eventually opted out of his contract with the 49ers, but never joined another NFL team.
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The Rams won Sunday’s game against the Bengals, 23-20.
