The Funny Way Super Bowl Organizers Are Keeping Halftime Show Rehearsals Under Wraps

Super Bowl LVI halftime show producers are going above and beyond to keep the setlist a secret until Sunday. Anyone who has walked by SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles this week might have heard the music of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bon Jovi over the speakers, but that’s just a diversion. Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, and Eminem are the real Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show performers.

Sources told TMZ Sports that Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bon Jovi songs have been heard over the speakers so no one could hear what the acts are really performing during their rehearsals. SoFi Stadium is close to residential neighborhoods, and the producers do not want the setlist to leak out. There is just one problem though, as residents are reportedly not happy about hearing “Lvin’ on a Prayer” repeatedly. There must not be enough New Jersey natives in the area.

The Super Bowl LVI halftime show has a chance to be one of the more epic shows in recent years. It’s the first time since 2004 that there are more than two headliners who have to perform a medley of songs in just 12 minutes. The 2022 show will also feature rappers Sean Ford and Warren “WaWa” Snipe, who are the first deaf rappers to perform during a Super Bowl halftime show. Their American Sign Language performances will be viewable at NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

“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,” Dr. Dre said in a statement in September. “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.”

Although Dr. Dre hasn’t released an album since 2015’s Compton, he has already released several singles in 2022. His song “Gospel” features Eminem, while “ETA” is a collaboration with Snoop, Busta Rhymes, and Anderson .Paak. Blige, who previously performed at the Super Bowl in 2001, will release her new album Good Morning Gorgeous on Friday. Lamar, one of the most acclaimed rappers of his generation, recently earned two more Grammy nominations for “Family Ties.”

Even though Bon Jovi music is reportedly playing during the rehearsals, the group has never played a Super Bowl halftime show. Red Hot Chili Peppers joined Bruno Mars in 2014, performing their hit “Give It Away.”

Super Bowl LVI kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET on NBC. The game features the hometown Los Angeles Rams facing off against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Rams franchise is looking for its first championship since 2000, while the Bengals are hoping to win their first-ever NFL championship.