Music

It's only fitting that the Los Angeles Rams vs. Cincinnati Bengals showdown in Super Bowl LVI happens to feature a star-studded cast of names for its halftime show entertainment, too. 

A team-up of Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar will handle the occasion while teams rest in the locker rooms.

And it's fitting because not only does the Super Bowl itself take place in California, giving off Hollywood vibes, but the hometown Rams have gone all-in on building a superteam. They traded away assets to acquire quarterback Matthew Stafford before the season, traded for pass-rusher Von Miller in the middle of the season and even signed a major name in Odell Beckham Jr. to help the championship push. 

So, when one sees Super Bowl 56 classified as an event with lots of stars, it's not hyperbole.

Here's a quick look at some of the entertainment details. 

          

Halftime Show Entertainment Preview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3NhX6-5mO0

How borderline outrageous is this assembly of rap/R&B legends? 

The five announced performers have a combined 43 Grammys and 22 No. 1 Billboard albums.

It doesn't stop there, either. As one can see from the trailer that quickly went viral, it's a big-budget event. This is the first Super Bowl in the greater Los Angeles area in almost three decades and just so happens to loop in legends from the area: Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar all hail from California. 

Not only that, but they're also bringing along two legends of the industry and the entire show will have Jay-Z's Roc Nation producing things in the background. 

Dr. Dre said in a statement:  

"The opportunity to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show, and to do it in my own backyard, will be one of the biggest thrills of my career. I'm grateful to Jay-Z, Roc Nation, the NFL, and Pepsi as well as Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar for joining me in what will be an unforgettable cultural moment."

The show will also break down barriers. According to Brian McCollum of the Detroit Free Press, this is the first time the NFL will use sign-language performances in a halftime performance, and the league has invited deaf Detroit rapper Sean Forbes to perform alongside the headliners. 

On paper, the show has enough star power to at least rival the set put on by The Weeknd last year at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

         

Predictions

Notice earlier we classified the halftime performers as "announced," and for good reason: There is almost zero chance they won't bring out some additional help. 

If one had to throw down a prediction, it's a safe bet that the cast of legendary artists set to headline will bring in some extra help. Maybe that's another former West Coast heavyweight with connections to the artists such as Ice Cube, or maybe it's a Detroit connection for Eminem like Big Sean. Either way, it's hard to imagine the announced names will go it alone at SoFi Stadium. 

One doesn't have to look far on social media to see suggestions of "California Love" being the first song to start the halftime performance, either. It just so happened to be the song that closed out the trailer above and makes too much sense to open the set, to the point anything else might be a disappointment now. 

It also feels safe to suggest in the neighborhood of 10 songs during the performance. We are, after all, talking about a set that, while only 12 minutes, has five announced performers. Taking a trip through their storied greatest hits—especially ones that fit the California theme—feels like a no-brainer. 

No matter how things end up shaking out, the run of great Super Bowl halftime shows projects to continue. 

Long story short, it's set to be a 12-minute performance for the ages.

Prior to Monday's 30-10 victory over the New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Tom Brady took some time out of his pregame preparations to have a game of catch with Saint West, the son of Ye and Kim Kardashian.

The artist formerly known as Kanye West shared a video of the moment on Instagram.

Tom Brady playing catch with Kanye’s son Saint 👏 @TomBrady (via @kanyewest) pic.twitter.com/nGCMP8Z9rM

— Overtime (@overtime) November 23, 2021

Ye, who legally changed his name last month, and Saint were on hand at Raymond James Stadium to watch the reigning Super Bowl champions improve to 7-3.

Mr. West is in the building. pic.twitter.com/FoEkeBNR11

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) November 22, 2021

Brady finished 30-of-46 for 307 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on the night. For the West family, his most memorable completions were in the luxury suites.

Kanye West says Michael Jordan refuses to meet with him over the lyrics to his 2015 song "Facts."

"Jordan still won't meet with me," West said on Drink Champs. "I'm trying to meet with Michael Jordan. I'm like, 'Man! It's a song, man!'"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IavRTSxvRo?start=1944

The song, which was a bonus track on The Life of Pablo, includes the chorus "Yeezy, Yeezy, Yeezy just jumped over Jumpman."

While the bars were more of a hit on Nike, which refused to give him the same ownership stake that Adidas did of his Yeezy line, Kanye probably still should have known MJ is one to hold a grudge. After all, this is the man who famously flew out the person who was chosen over him for his high school varsity team to his Hall of Fame speech.

It's also fair to point out that West's bar isn't accurate—or even particularly close. His Yeezy brand is an unquestioned success, pulling in $1.7 billion in sales last year. That's still a small speck on the apparel radar compared to Jordan Brand, which had $4.7 billion in sales during the previous fiscal year. 

Superstar rapper Drake offered support for heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury in a video prior to his clash with Deontay Wilder on Saturday night.

Fury posted the video on Twitter, which featured effusive praise from Drake (warning: strong language):

Trust me @Drake, once I’m done with him he’ll be running through Alabama with his woes! God Bless You G 🤝 🦉 pic.twitter.com/QMAt0G7LZr

— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) October 9, 2021

Drake called Fury an "inspiration" and wished him "the best of luck" for the fight.

The 33-year-old Fury enters Saturday's bout with a record of 30-0-1, including a seventh-round knockout win over Wilder in their last fight in February 2020.

Wilder, 35, is 42-1-1 with 41 knockouts.

Saturday will mark the third meeting between Fury and Wilder, as they also fought to a split draw in December 2018.

Fury is set to put the WBC and The Ring heavyweight titles on the line in a battle between two of the most imposing and successful heavyweights in recent history.

The stakes are high since a win could set the stage for a unification bout with Oleksandr Usyk, who upset Anthony Joshua last month.

Toronto Raptors superfan Drake makes several sports references and name-drops on his newest album, Certified Lover Boy, which was released Friday.

Perhaps the most impressive was the ability to seamlessly fit the name of Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo into a set of lyrics on the track "7AM On Bridle Path":

Could at least keep it a buck like Antetokounmpo

I made north of the border like Vito Rizzuto

Throwin' parties in Miami, they lovin' us mucho

With the ho ratio, I'm like David Caruso.

Drake also gave a shoutout to American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson, who missed the Tokyo Games after testing positive for marijuana at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

"And I'm like Sha'Carri, smoke 'em on and off the track," he rapped on "No Friends in the Industry".

Here's a look at some of the other sports-related mentions on the album:

• "In the Bible": "Think I'm Tiger Woods, the way I'm teed off thе 17."

• "The Remorse": "Can't picture bein' a hubby, finger too stubby to fit a ring on, unless Kawhi wanna run it back."

• "You Only Live Twice": "Still runnin' the game. Don't ask me about the practice."

The last line is likely a reference to the infamous practice rant by Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson.

It's also no surprise Drake was able to fit a link to the Raptors on the album, though it's unlikely Kawhi Leonard will be running it back in Toronto anytime soon after signing a four-year, $176.3 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers in August. He helped lead the Raptors to the 2019 NBA title.

Certified Lover Boy is Drake's sixth studio album and his first since Scorpion in 2018.

Rapper Snoop Dogg called his beloved Los Angeles Lakers "soft" after a Game 5 loss to the Phoenix Suns in their first-round playoff series Tuesday night.

The longtime Lakers fan posted on Instagram that the rival Los Angeles Clippers are a better team and called out head coach Frank Vogel (Warning: post contains profanity):

Snoop Dogg on his Lakers tonight. Don’t call the phone. pic.twitter.com/NX1CmBUFQx

— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) June 2, 2021

L.A. was no match for Phoenix in Game 5 with Anthony Davis out of the lineup with a groin injury. The Suns took control of the contest early, building a 30-point halftime lead and cruising to a 115-85 win.

LeBron James scored 24 points, but the rest of the team's starting lineup totaled 11 points, including scoreless outings from both Dennis Schroder and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in a combined 41 minutes.

Now the defending champions are one game from elimination as they return home to Staples Center for Game 6 on Thursday night.

Whether Snoop Dogg, who showed off his tattoo honoring Kobe Bryant and the Lakers' 2020 championship in October, will be in attendance is unclear, but the team could use all the support it can get as it tries to bounce back from the blowout loss.

Snoop Dogg showing off his new Lakers tattoo 🏆💜💛

(via @SnoopDogg) pic.twitter.com/7SHONoz4P9

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 13, 2020

Game 6 is set for a 10:30 p.m. ET tipoff Thursday on TNT.

Rapper J. Cole has reportedly completed his contract with Patriots BBC of the Basketball Africa League and left the team's country of Rwanda for a "family obligation."

Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated reported the update Wednesday. The Grammy Award-winning singer recorded five points, five rebounds and three assists across three appearances.

J. Cole has a basketball background having starred at Terry Sanford High School in North Carolina and briefly walking on with the St. John's University college program before shifting his focus solely to music.

While his brief participation brought worldwide exposure to the newly formed BAL, not everybody was happy with the decision to give him a roster spot.

Guard Terrell Stoglin, who plays for AS Sale in the BAL, told ESPN's Leonard Solms on Monday it was "disrespectful" to full-time basketball players who wanted an opportunity to play:

"I think there's a negative and a positive [to J. Cole's presence]. The negative part of it is: I think he took someone's job that deserves it. I live in a basketball world. I don't live in a fan world. I know a lot of guys that had their careers stopped by COVID and they're still home working out and training for an opportunity like this.

"For a guy who has so much money and has another career to just come here and average, like, one point a game and still get glorified is very disrespectful to the game. It's disrespectful to the ones who sacrificed their whole lives for this.

"The positive side of it is: it brings a lot of attention, and, I guess, money. I don't really pay attention to that type of stuff. I'm more [concerned that] he took someone's job that deserved it."

Patriots BBC went 2-1 during the group phase of the season and earned a berth in the quarterfinals. They are the No. 4 seed in the playoff bracket and are set to face Ferroviario de Maputo from Mozambique on Thursday.

Right before starting his BAL stint, J. Cole released an album entitled "The Off-Season," which shouted out several NBA players, including LeBron James and Stephen Curry.

There's been no confirmation that he'll pursue any professional basketball opportunities in the future.

J. Cole's move to the Basketball Africa League isn't being universally praised by his new peers.

Terrell Stoglin played at Maryland before embarking on a career overseas that took him to Morroccan side AS Sale. Speaking with Leonard Solms for ESPN, he conceded having the star rapper brings more attention to the BAL. However, he also argued Cole "took someone's job that deserves it."

"I live in a basketball world. I don't live in a fan world," Stoglin said. "I know a lot of guys that had their careers stopped by COVID and they're still home working out and training for an opportunity like this."

"For a guy who has so much money and has another career to just come here and average, like, one point a game and still get glorified is very disrespectful to the game. It's disrespectful to the ones who sacrificed their whole lives for this."

A native of Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole attended college at St. John's and attempted to walk onto the Red Storm men's basketball team. Beyond that, the 36-year-old had little to no formal experience on the court beyond high school.

Cole had a nondescript debut with Patriots Basketball Club earlier this month, finishing with three points, three rebounds and two assists.

In addition to the difficulty Cole faces in trying to catch up to players who have spent years competing professionally, Stoglin's comments underscore how some of Cole's opponents might be carrying chips on their shoulders following his arrival.

LeBron James pulled double-duty on Sunday.

The Los Angeles Lakers star dropped a double-double (18 points, 10 assists) in a 99-90 loss to the Phoenix Suns in the afternoon. Later on in the night, the NBA legend narrated a video to honor Drake's Artist of the Decade honor at the Billboard Music Awards.

"It's not luck my good friends. It's certain destiny.”

LeBron narrated @Drake’s video package for winning Billboard's Artist of the Decade award

(via @OVOSound)https://t.co/SBh5ZoVCwJ

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 24, 2021

Perhaps James already congratulated Drake for the award in person.

ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported James attended a promotional event earlier in the week, which was a violation of the NBA's health and safety protocols. Drake was among the celebrities also on hand for the event.

Celebrating the recording artist was the least James could do considering how much he almost single-handedly wrecked the Toronto Raptors for three straight years in the postseason.

J. Cole returned to the court Saturday for the Patriots Basketball Club in their 91-75 loss to Union Sportive Monastirienne.

The rapper scored two points on 1-of-2 shooting from the field in 12 minutes off the bench. He also grabbed one offensive rebound and dished out an assist.

This bucket from Jermaine Cole for @PatriotsBBC in slow motion is a thing of beauty🤩 #theBAL pic.twitter.com/nZHPxyIwOg

— Basketball Africa League (@theBAL) May 22, 2021

Jermaine Cole beats the shot clock with this bucket for @PatriotsBBC! They hold the lead over #US_MONASTIR in the first quarter #theBAL pic.twitter.com/ckYtl3l1FT

— Basketball Africa League (@theBAL) May 22, 2021

This was the third game of the season for the Patriots, who were off to a 2-0 start before Saturday.

Cole scored three points in his debut for the club Sunday. He also played 15 minutes against Gendarmerie Nationale Basketball Club two days later but was held scoreless on two three-point attempts.

The Grammy-winning artist is getting his first exposure in professional games to the sport. He did receive a tryout offer from the Detroit Pistons in August, though it's unclear if he took them up on it.

Prior to his career as a rapper, J. Cole did receive a callback after trying out for St. John's basketball team during his sophomore year.