As more than 100 million people tune in to the National Football League (NFL) Super Bowl halftime show that captivates Americans, Latino musician Bad Bunny performed in Spanish on the 8th (local time), intensifying cultural conflict in the United States. The halftime show is a stage reserved for the top artists of the day, and for several years a recurring dynamic has emerged between artists who take that stage and U.S. President Donald Trump.
In fact, in the early days of Trump's first administration, the NFL was highly conscious of President Trump. In Aug. 2016, Colin Kaepernick, former quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, knelt during the national anthem before games in protest after a series of incidents in which Black people were killed by white police officers. The act escalated into a fierce debate framed as "patriotism versus racism," and when President Trump publicly criticized it and expressed anger, NFL teams declined to re-sign Kaepernick. He was effectively pushed out of the league. In protest, prominent U.S. singer Rihanna even turned down an offer to perform at the halftime show at the time.
Hit with criticism on all fronts over the incident, the NFL joined hands with hip-hop mogul Jay-Z to diversify its fan base. Since 2019, the halftime show has been planned and produced by Jay-Z's entertainment company Roc Nation under a partnership with the NFL. According to U.S. current affairs weekly The Atlantic and others, while the NFL gives final approval to performers, Jay-Z is said to wield significant influence in the actual selection process. By collaborating with Jay-Z, one of the most influential Black artists in the United States, the NFL secured support from the music industry and gained access to a younger and more diverse audience.
Starting with the 2020 performance by Shakira and Jennifer Lopez in the first year Roc Nation produced the halftime show, ▲ 2021 The Weeknd ▲ 2022 Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar ▲ 2023 Rihanna ▲ 2024 Usher ▲ 2025 Kendrick Lamar ▲ 2026 Bad Bunny and other singers of diverse races and backgrounds have taken the stage. Given that the top artists of the day perform at the halftime show, it is hard to view their selection as unusual.
However, among the main halftime performers in the 2010s, Black artists numbered only three: the Black Eyed Peas (2011), Beyoncé (2013) and Bruno Mars (2014). Considering this, Jay-Z's influence appears to have played a significant role in the recent expansion of racial diversity.
It is also by coincidence since Roc Nation took over production that anti-Trump figures began appearing on the halftime stage. Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, who performed at the 2020 halftime show, presented a performance with messages opposing the first Trump administration's anti-immigration policies. Lopez, who comes from a Puerto Rican immigrant family in New York, unfurled a flag symbolizing her parents' homeland at the end of the show. The performance also featured teenage girls inside structures resembling cages singing together. At the time, foreign media interpreted the structures as a critical symbol of the Trump administration's immigration policy, which drew controversy for separating immigrant parents from their children.
The following year, Eminem, who took the halftime stage, was seen as a representative anti-Trump figure, having released rap tracks criticizing President Trump. Snoop Dogg, who performed with Eminem, had also publicly criticized President Trump. He previously did not hesitate to use harsh language toward Trump. However, after President Trump pardoned the head of the hip-hop label Snoop Dogg had been part of in Jan. 2021 at the end of his first administration, Snoop Dogg adopted a relatively friendly stance.
Since then, halftime performers such as Rihanna, Usher and Kendrick Lamar have also publicly criticized Trump or supported Kamala Harris. Even before Rihanna took the stage, President Trump criticized her as "bad at everything and talentless," and, along with figures in the MAGA camp, called for the performance to be canceled. Jay-Z, who played a decisive role in recruiting these performers, has likewise traded public barbs with President Trump for years.
Most NFL team owners and executives try to avoid friction with President Trump, but when it comes to halftime performers, they appear to leave it to Roc Nation. That is because halftime ratings are directly tied to the NFL's revenue. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in Oct., "If I tried to pick the music I listen to, nobody would come to the halftime show," adding that Jay-Z understands how important the halftime show is to the music industry and artists.
According to online betting site FanDuel, Miley Cyrus had the highest betting odds as a leading candidate to take the 2027 halftime show. Miley Cyrus publicly said during the 2016 presidential election, "If Trump is elected, I'm leaving America." Other strong contenders mentioned include Black female rapper Cardi B and American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. They also publicly supported the Democratic Party during the last election, and whoever is finalized as the halftime performer is unlikely to avoid a clash with President Trump.