I think it’s safe to say that historically, the Super Bowl Halftime Show has always been a bit of a mixed bag. While Beyoncé broke Blue Ivy’s internet when she decided to get the entire world in “Formation,” subsequent superstars like Justin Timberlake—yes, that Justin Timberlake—and The Weekend have failed to impress or astound with their own grandiose performances.
Suggested Reading
So in its efforts to correct course, and boldly go where no man has gone before, the NFL and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation—who combined tone-deaf superpowers to create “the evolution of Colin Kaepernick’s protests” or something back in 2019—are taking the unprecedented step of putting gangsta rap, in all of its misogynistic glory, on center stage.
Yes, you read that correctly: The Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show will feature a combined 43 Grammys, 19 No. 1 Billboard albums and five legendary artists in the form of Compton’s own Dr. Dre; his protégés Eminem, Long Beach savant Snoop Dogg, and the enigmatic Kendrick Lamar; and the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul herself, Mary J. Blige.
“I would’ve never thought that this moment would be happening right now,” Dre said back in October when the Super Bowl Halftime Show lineup was announced. “The fact that the NFL [and] Pepsi are allowing hip-hop to come into this game I’m so honored and so inspired to be able to come in and do this show.”
In the months since, the streets have been buzzing with excitement, as man, woman, and child eagerly anticipate what promises to be one of the most talked-about performances in the history of ever. And while details about what we can all expect at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium have been minuscule, on Thursday, the NFL dropped the official trailer for the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show—entitled The Call—and it did not disappoint.
Directed by F. Gary Gray, the NFL describes the trailer as such in a press release provided to The Root:
Pepsi partnered with LA’s own F. Gary Gray (Straight Outta Compton, Friday, The Fate of the Furious) to direct the trailer which honors the impact all five artists have had on culture ahead of their monumental Pepsi Halftime Show performance. The Call unfolds like a high-energy blockbuster film, inspired by almost two decades worth of iconic music videos and tracks with the most recognizable hitmakers of our generation and proud LA native, Dr. Dre, at the helm. The lens moves swiftly between Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar spotlighting their individual artistic journeys and influences. Each artist then gets the call from their friend and collaborator, Dr. Dre, to converge on SoFi Stadium in Inglewood for what will become the greatest Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show ever.
Behold the magic yourself below, and prepare to be amazed.
Straight From 
Sign up for our free daily newsletter.