Anticipation continues to build for Super Bowl Sunday.
Just days before the Pepsi Halftime Show, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Mary J. Blige (Eminem and Kendrick Lamar were MIA) sat down for a press conference on Thursday where they previewed their “epic” plans.
When asked if fans can expect surprises during the 12-minute performance, Dre remained tight-lipped. “I’m not talking about that, but yes,” he said before offering another confirmation, “Yes, but I’m not gonna talk about it.”
There are rumors that 50 Cent may be one of those surprises. His Dre-produced hit “In Da Club” was heard during rehearsals inside SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. earlier this week.
One thing you shouldn’t expect though is a repeat of Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake’s 2004 Super Bowl mishap. “There won’t be any wardrobe malfunctions,” said Snoop.
“I had to talk Snoop and Eminem out of pulling their penises out, especially Eminem,” joked Dre.
Snoop reflected on what the show means for his city and hip-hop. “This is what hip-hop and the NFL is supposed to be about, representing change, about moving forward,” he said. “We appreciate the NFL for even entertaining hip-hop. We know a lot of people didn’t want hip-hop on stage, but we here now and ain’t nothin’ you can do about it.”
Dre hopes their performance shifts the culture moving forward. “We’re gonna open more doors for hip-hop artists in the future and making sure that the NFL understands that this is what it should have been a long time ago. We’re gonna show how professional we can be, how dope we can be on stage, and how exciting we’re gonna be to the fans.”
As for Mary, she is focused on giving her best performance. “The vision is to do what I do, just leave it all on the stage,” she said, while Dre said he got “goosebumps” after watching her rehearse. “If I’m getting them, I know what the audience is gonna feel when she hits the stage.”
The trio also cited some of their favorite past halftime performances including Michael Jackson, Prince, and Justin Timberlake.
And they’re hopeful that Sunday’s show will also be one for the history books. “We want to make sure that this is one of the best halftime shows ever,” said Dre.