With the new Super Bowl Half Time Show people have mixed opinions on the performance. People either hated it or they loved it and the debates ensued online. Though, this happens every year, people argue online about the performance of the Half Time Show so its nothing new especially in the scene of entertainment in general. There was something else special about this year’s Half Time Show, however.

This year the Half Time Show was particularly interesting because it was the first performance to be rap/hip-hop centered. Featuring artists Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Mary J. Blige with special guests 50 Cent, Anderson .Paak, and a rendition of 2Pac’s “California Love.” With all of these big names performing at the Super Bowl, which easily reaches over 100 million viewers at one time, one could expect a grand performance. Now, it was a good performance. After all, the stage is filled with musical legends but some fans felt like it was too short or didn’t reach their expectations.

The problem is that there are too many performers and not enough time to let them perform. There needs to be enough time for artists to make the show entertaining, play their best or favorite songs while also creating the performance aspect as that is what makes seeing artists live special. A good live music performance has a specially designed set, dancers, special effects, and may feature special guests. When there are five headlining artists it is difficult to create a unique set for all of them and provide special effects and dancers for each person all while working under a small time frame. This is why having more than three or even two artists is a no-go since not only does it complicate the creation process but it leaves less time for an artist to do what they do best: create.

While the halftime is just a break, there is limited time on any performances within the halftime. However, over the years it has gained its own spotlight in the Super Bowl just as commercials have. While the halftime does need to be limited because of air time and based on original practice there doesn’t seem to be a reason they cant extend it for one or two more songs.

There is also another problem plaguing the Half Time Show and its the disconnect between the NFL and people who watch the Super Bowl. The NFL centers the show on what will get the most clicks and views instead of creating an incredible artistic show. This also isn’t a new problem as in 2019 there was a controversy within the Half Time Show. Fans were excited as a petition for the Half Time Show to be “Sweet Victory” from SpongeBob was exploding in popularity. As to their excitement the Half Time Show started and the “Sweet Victory” intro started and everyone was surprised because they actually did it, the petition worked. Then, it transitioned to Sicko Mode by Travis Scott and they stopped playing “Sweet Victory”. Fans were upset to say the least. They could have just continued playing Sweet Victory but they didn’t.

Although, the disconnect is thankfully shrinking. In 2017 the NFL wanted Jay-Z to perform and wanted him to bring along Kanye West and Rihanna. Jay-Z declined the offer because he felt they were letting him perform just because he would bring along two big time guests. Later on Jay-Z’s entertainment company, Roc Nation, partnered with the NFL in 2019 to provide entertainment and social justice because Jay-Z explains, “Roc Nation has shown that entertainment and enacting change are not mutually exclusive ideas — instead, we unify them.” Together, thanks to Roc Nation’s partner with the NFL, everyone was able to get a rap/hip-hop centered performance. With this year’s Super Bowl Half Time performance one could argue there is still a disconnect between fans and the NFL but the disconnect is definitely smaller.

If the NFL wants to create an amazing Half Time Show they only need to do a few things. For one, they need at max three musical artists headlining. Next, extend the Half Time Show for a few more songs since the Half Time Show seems to be a separate entity within the Super Bowl. And most importantly, they need to listen to the fans on what they want to see at Half Time Show and continue to work with others like Jay-z and Roc Nation to create even better lineups. I did enjoy the Half Time Show and I acknowledge the positive effect it can have on others opinions about the rap/hip-hop community but I just think it could have been better with a smaller lineup and a longer performance.