Why Did Eminem Take a Knee? During the star-studded Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday night on the 13th day of February 2022, Eminem took a knee, making it one of the most talked-about moments of the year’s biggest sporting event.
Following reports that two Los Angeles Rams players had been seen kneeling during the playing of the national anthem, the rap icon made a gesture during a star-studded hip-hop show that echoed Colin Kaepernick’s protests.
Why Did Eminem Take a Knee?
On Sunday night February 13, 2022, the 15-time Grammy winner got down on one knee and held his head while performing “Lose Yourself”.
The game was held at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, and Dr. Dre, who is from nearby Compton, headlined the halftime show. In an incredible set, he was joined by fellow Californian celebrities Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg, along with Mary J. Blige, Eminem, and 50 Cent.
After finishing his performance of “Lose Yourself,” Eminem bent over and put his head in his palm, seemingly paying homage to former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who had protested police brutality in 2016 by kneeling during the playing of the national anthem.
After the quarterback made his gesture, other players copied it. This caused a huge cultural controversy and led to criticism of the league’s handling of the situation. Since the end of the 2016 season, Kaepernick has not participated in any NFL games.
It is commonly thought that the league’s teams and owners have retaliated against him because of his political views.
However, in the opening set of games of the 2020–21 season, NBA players and coaches from four different teams chose to kneel during the playing of the national anthem in response to the murder of George Floyd by a police officer and nationwide protests for racial justice.
NFL Denies Thwarting Eminem’s Protest During the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
The NFL disproved rumors that it tried to prevent Eminem from making the gesture following Sunday’s game.
According to league spokesman Brian McCarthy, “We watched all elements of the show during multiple rehearsals this week and were aware that Eminem was going to do that.”
The NFL acknowledged that it had disregarded its players’ concerns about racism in the US following the demonstrations that followed George Floyd’s death at the hands of the police in 2020.
In June 2020, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made the statement, “We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest,” without specifically bringing up Colin Kaepernick. “Black lives matter,” is what the National Football League believes.
When USA TODAY reached out to Eminem for comment, the rapper did not reply, and he has not addressed his gesture on social media.
When Colin Kaepernick was an NFL Player, Why Did He “Take a Knee”?
Before the start of the 2016 American football season, Kaepernick was vocal about his disapproval of police brutality toward African Americans on social media. Reporters then started to notice that the quarterback was standing whenever the US national anthem was played during the preseason games.
In his words, he told the NFL media, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color.” “In my opinion, this goes beyond football, and ignoring it would be selfish on my part. There are dead bodies on the streets, and murderers are getting away with it while receiving paid leave.”
As more athletes were aware of Kaepernick’s activism, they began to engage in various forms of silent protest, such as sitting, kneeling, or raising a fist, whenever the US national anthem was played.
This led to a national conversation about the issue. The encouragement didn’t lessen Kaepernick’s resolve; he quickly increased his activism and gave millions of dollars to local nonprofits and social justice initiatives across the nation.
Final Thoughts
According to reports, the NFL forbade Eminem from kneeling during the practice sessions. Eminem and the NFL have not released any official statements regarding Sunday’s kneeling, but the action created a lot of buzz online, with many applauding Eminem for taking a stand.
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