After reports leaked that Eminem had been forbidden to kneel in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick’s protest campaign, during today’s halftime show he decided to go his own way. Eminem’s contribution to the star-studded show was focused mainly on his massive hit, “Lose Yourself,” which featured a cameo from none other than Anderson Paak on the drums, but at the end of that song, he chose to kneel down onstage and highlight Kaepernick’s protests.
Some might think it’s too little too late for white artists and athletes to begin supporting Colin’s movement, which ended up with him struggling to find a place when it came to the draft, others will definitely find it commendable that Eminem used his own position to shine a light. Currently, Ava Duvernay and Netflix are working on a six-episode series about Colin called Colin In Black And White.
It might’ve been a little bit more impactful if the activist himself had been invited onstage, either by Dr. Dre and his cohort, or by the NFL themselves, who seemed intent on silencing or ignoring the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback during the height of his protests, which were primarily enacted as the peaceful act of kneeling during the National Anthem before games. Check out some reactions to Eminem’s choice to kneel below.
Eminem kneels during the halftime performance, after NFL officials reportedly shut down the idea #SuperBowl https://t.co/sHMyZB1FuW pic.twitter.com/UigAAEqemu
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 14, 2022
NFL told Eminem not to kneel and he did it anyways. Fuck the NFL. Props to Eminem.
— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) February 14, 2022
The NFL reportedly told @Eminem he could not kneel tonight.
They seemed to have forgotten he does not give a f**k ?? @drdre #Eminem #SBLVI #SuperBowl #PepsiHalftime #HalfTimeShow pic.twitter.com/CbNEdjh7Rb
— Frank Young (@FY3TV) February 14, 2022
Eminem kneeled after the NFL told him not to kneel !!!! pic.twitter.com/w5OifdYCu8
— Ave (@SebastianAvenue) February 14, 2022
Wow Eminem holding the kneel is not an accident!!!!!!! Beautiful!
— Peter Rosenberg (@Rosenbergradio) February 14, 2022
Republicans seeing Eminem kneel at the halftime show. #HalfTimeShow2022 pic.twitter.com/FxwDfP1e7r
— F l o r d e l i za (@theflordeliza) February 14, 2022
NFL told Em not to kneel and he did it anyway. What is Goodell going to do to Eminem lol
— Robert Littal BSO (@BSO) February 14, 2022
Mane #Eminem said he don’t give af, he gon kneel regardless ? pic.twitter.com/UDjGHrHgsg
— A is for Afro (@Amberisms_) February 14, 2022
NFL to Eminem: "DO. NOT. KNEEL."
Eminem: "This opportunity comes once in a lifetime."?? https://t.co/6tanEIvwBR
— Ashton Pittman (@ashtonpittman) February 14, 2022