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NFL was aware Eminem was planning to kneel during Super Bowl halftime show

The kneeling took place shortly after the rapper's performance.
Rams Bengals Super Bowl Football
Posted at 9:33 AM, Feb 14, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-14 09:39:55-05

LOS ANGELES — Eminem is the latest celebrity to take a knee.

The kneeling took place during the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show after the rapper performed “Lose Yourself.”

Kneeling has become a form of protest and a source of controversy after former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick did it to protest police brutality and racial discrimination.

On Sunday, Eminem dropped to one knee with one hand over his head and held the pose for several moments.

The NFL said it was aware that the rapper was going to make the gesture.

“We watched all elements of the show during multiple rehearsals this week and were aware that Eminem was going to do that,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said.

This is not the first time Eminem has shown support for Kaepernick’s message.

In 2017, Eminem released a four-minute freestyle rap where he called out former President Donald Trump, who was critical of Kaepernick.

Taking a knee has become a more common form of protest in the NBA, after the murder of George Floyd.

Other athletes and celebrities who have protested by kneeling include Megan Rapinoe of the National Women’s Soccer League, the Dallas Cowboys and their owner Jerry Jones, John Legend, Stevie Wonder and others.