The Super Bowl 2022 Pepsi Halftime Show, which included a medley of performances from some of the greatest acts in Hip-Hop and R&B, was headlined by legendary producer and artist Dr. Dre.
 

Following the success of the Halftime Show, which included appearances from Dre’s collaborators Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, and Mary J. Blige, it’s been reported that streams of the Hip-Hop legend’s music on Spotify alone have increased by 185 percent. Two of the songs Dre performed during the show, “The Next Episode” and “Still D.R.E.” from his 1999 album, Chronic 2001, also saw increases of 270 percent and 245 percent, respectively.

 

The Compton, Calif. native wasn’t the only performer to see a boost in Spotify streams after the show as Mary J. Blige’s “No More Drama” saw an increase of 520 percent, while streams of Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” rose 250 percent.

 

While the show included other standout moments—such as Eminem's decision to take a knee during his set as a show of support for former NFL Quarterback Colin Kaepernick—there were also aspects of the Halftime performance that left fans with questions, which Dre addressed during a recent run-in with TMZ.

 

When asked about the alteration of lyrics during Kendrick Lamar’s performance, Dre admitted to acquiescing to the NFL’s requests, explaining, “There were a few things that we had to change, but it was, like, really minor things.” He added it was “no big deal” to adjust the lyrics given the platform. The 56-year-old also spoke on Em kneeling on stage and debunked the rumors that the league had taken issue with his stance. “Em taking a knee, that was him doing that on his own and there was no problem with that.”

 

Describing the performance in its entirety as “fantastic,” Dre also commended his costars for taking full advantage of the opportunity and their overall professionalism, saying, “Everybody was on time and everybody really felt the magnitude of what this was.”