Featured Image Credit: Alamy/@Phil_Lewis/Twitter
Topics: Eminem, Super Bowl, Dr Dre, Rudy Giuliani, Colin Kaepernick
Shola Lee
Topics: Eminem, Super Bowl, Dr Dre, Rudy Giuliani, Colin Kaepernick
Donald Trump's former lawyer Rudy Giuliani has criticised Eminem for taking a knee during his Super Bowl performance.
The former mayor of New York hit out at the rapper after he was seen dropping to one knee following his half-time performance.
Eminem performed alongside Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Anderson .Paak and Dr Dre in what many are calling the 'greatest' half-time show in Super Bowl history.
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After performing his iconic song Lose Yourself, Eminem was seen taking a knee, which has become a symbol of protest against police brutality and racism.
Giuliani took issue with Eminem's peaceful protest during his radio programme The Rudy Giuliani Show on Monday, February 14. 'Let's get right to Eminem taking a knee,' he said.
The former mayor added, 'Why doesn't he go to another country? I mean, go take a knee someplace else. You know how many cops were defending him and protecting him at that game yesterday?'
Giuliani proceeded to say the NFL 'made a mockery of law enforcement' by allowing Eminem to take a knee. There were rumours that the NFL didn't want Eminem to take the knee, something that both Dr Dre and NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy have denied.
Speaking of the changes that the NFL made prior to the performance, Dr Dre said, 'There were a few things that changed, but it was like, really minor things.'
'Em taking a knee, that was Em doing that on his own. And, there was no problem with that,' Dre said.
McCarthy told USA Today that if 'a player or coach could have taken a knee, and there would have been no repercussions, so there was no reason to tell an artist she or he could not do so'.
'We watched all elements of the show during multiple rehearsals this week and were aware that Eminem was going to do that,' he added.
Taking the knee became a widespread form of peaceful protest when NFL star Colin Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem in 2016.
Since then people have taken the knee at major events, including the Euros and the Olympics, to protest racial injustice and police brutality. However, in 2018 the NFL amended their policy regarding the act.
The changes were intended to prohibit players from taking the knee during the national anthem. While the amendment has never been fully enforced, the NFL came under fire for their attempt to suppress peaceful protest.
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