Why the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Should Include Tupac’s Hologram
With the NFL season in full swing, the league announced the performers for the Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show. Hip-hop giants Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Kendrick Lamar will take the stage along with R&B icon Mary J. Blige at SoFi Stadium just outside Los Angeles in Inglewood, California.
The lineup came as a bit of a surprise because of how many artists are included and because they are all huge stars in their own right. With only about 15 minutes of stage time, many have already started to wonder how the show might go. Will Blige just sing the hook to the songs the rappers perform? Or will each artist get their own melody of hits to run through as quickly as possible while riveting background effects flash behind them? And, will Tupac Shakur‘s hologram make an appearance?
The hologram debate online has already begun
The debate about whether Tupac’s hologram will and should join the others on the big stage has already begun. We have no idea whether or not it’s going to happen, but it definitely should for a few reasons.
For starters, you can’t think about California rap legends without thinking of the “Changes” lyricist since he was the face of West Coast rap in the mid-90s. And, having seen Dr. Dre, Snoop, and Eminem in concert myself multiple times (pre-Coachella hologram) they include Pac tributes in all of their shows. Snoop always did “2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted” and Dre always did “California Love” as images of Tupac rapping his verses played on the jumbotron. It’s anyone’s guess if “2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted” will make the song selection but given the location, it’s almost 100% certain that “California Love” will.
Eminem and Snoop each have such distinct voices that hearing either one of them rap Pac’s verse on the track just wouldn’t quite fit. And why bother having Lamar spit it when they can use the GOAT’s hologram for the verse.
The idea is genius because it will really get the crowd going and that’s what the artists performing during the Super Bowl Halftime Show are supposed to do. And even the casual fan watching will understand the significance of a Tupac hologram. If you’re tired of seeing the same digital shirtless Pac that debuted at Coachella in 2012 then let’s hope the organizers give the “Dear Mama” hitmaker’s hologram an upgrade. Assuming they have the technology to do that, maybe we’ll see a new and improved Pac hologram decked out in a jersey and bandana or sporting the gear he had on in the “California Love” music video.
Either way, the hologram needs to be part of the show. It’s not just something people will expect, it’s also fitting given where the Super Bowl is being played, and it will be a treat an audience of 1 billion can cheer for.
Could another late hip-hop legend get a shoutout during the show?
A name fans will be keeping an ear out for during the halftime show is Eazy-E. After it was announced that Dre was doing the show Eazy-E’s daughter, Ebie, said she’s hoping her dad gets a shoutout from his former NWA bandmate or from another fellow Compton native Lamar, who once dedicated his career to Eazy-E.
Ebie doesn’t expect to see the Eazy-E hologram or some large-scale tribute to her father since she knows the halftime show is only a few minutes long. She told TMZ she’s just looking for a simple “RIP Eazy” at some point during the performance and that would “mean the world” to her.
We’ll find out if she gets that and if Tupac’s hologram delights the crowd on Feb. 13, 2022.
