JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr.
Rihanna poses for a photo after a halftime show news conference ahead of the Super Bowl 57 NFL football game, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Rihanna promises a 'jam-packed' Super Bowl halftime show

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Feb. 09, 2023 01:48 PM EST
PHOENIX (AP) — Rihanna is putting in the work ahead of her Super Bowl halftime show,

FILE - Former NBA basketball player Shaquille O' Neal, who moonlights as DJ Diesel, appears at Shaq's Fun House in Miami during a pre-Super Bowl event on Feb. 1, 2020. O'Neal will host the carnival-themed event Friday that includes a human claw machine, Ferris wheel and 80-foot slide. Snoop Dogg and Diplo are the expected headliners. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
Stars at the Super Bowl: How Gronk and Shaq plan to party

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Feb. 07, 2023 12:04 PM EST
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rob Gronkowski might be retired from the NFL, but the former all

2 Chainz poses for a portrait on Friday, Nov. 4, 2022, in Los Angeles. The Grammy Award-winning rapper is bringing his star appeal as host of Amazon Music Live - a weekly live-streamed concert series featuring today’s biggest stars including Lil Baby, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Wayne and Kane Brown. The series streams on Prime Video after Thursday Night Football and filmed each week in Los Angeles in front of a live audience. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
2 Chainz hosts Amazon Music live concerts using NFL platform

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Dec. 07, 2022 02:03 PM EST
LOS ANGELES (AP) — 2 Chainz wants to capitalize off the NFL’s huge “Thursday Night

Snoop Dogg performs during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 56 football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Halftime Review: Dre, Snoop and friends deliver epic show

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Feb. 13, 2022 11:10 PM EST
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Dr. Dre & Co. took the weight of the hip-hop culture on

Daymond John attends Shaq's Fun House on Friday, Feb. 11, 2022, at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles. (Photo by Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP)
Shaq's 'Fun House' draws big crowd with Lil Wayne headlining

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Feb. 12, 2022 07:57 PM EST
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shaquille O’Neal threw one big party, but with two different

Usher attends the Chairman's Party following the NFL Honors event on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, at So-Fi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)
Usher performs classic hits at star-studded Chairman's Party

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Feb. 11, 2022 07:50 AM EST
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Usher preached togetherness during “tumultuous times” while

Dr. Dre answers a question during a news conference for the Super Bowl LVI halftime show Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Super Bowl performers vow to open doors for more hip-hop

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Feb. 10, 2022 10:52 AM EST
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mary J. Blige, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg said the NFL was late

FILE - Former NBA basketball player Shaquille O' Neal DJ's at Shaq's Fun House in Miami on Feb. 1, 2020. O’Neal will return to the city where he helped the Los Angeles Lakers win three straight championships. This time, O’Neal – who frequently deejays – will host “Shaq’s Fun House,” featuring performances by Lil Wayne, Zedd and Diplo. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
Shaq, Usher and Mayer shows all highlight Super Bowl week

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Feb. 08, 2022 04:37 PM EST
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shaquille O’Neal will return to the city where he helped the Los

FILE - Executive producer Serena Williams arrives at the premiere of "King Richard" during the American Film Fest at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Sunday, Nov. 14, 2021, in Los Angeles. Williams is normally the one participating in a major championship matchup, but the six-time Wimbledon winner is looking forward to watching the Super Bowl along with her commercial. The tennis superstar stars in a Michelob ULTRA commercial along with several other athletes such as Peyton Manning, Jimmy Butler and Nneka Ogwumike for a competitive game of bowling. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
Serena Williams wants to express joy through Super Bowl ad

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Feb. 08, 2022 09:03 AM EST
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Serena Williams is normally the one participating in a major

This combination of photos shows, from left, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Dr, Dre, who will perform for the first time together on stage at the 2022 Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show. NFL, Pepsi and Roc Nation announced Thursday that the five music icons will perform on Feb. 13 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo)
Dre, Snoop, Eminem, Blige, Lamar to perform at Super Bowl

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Sep. 30, 2021 05:10 PM EDT
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick

FILE - In this June 18, 2019 file photo Ed Sheeran arrives at the premiere of the film 'Yesterday' in London. Sheeran will perform in a concert to kickoff the NFL season opener. The singer will headline a pregame concert Sept. 9 in Tampa, Florida, before the reigning Super Bowl champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers face off against the Dallas Cowboys. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP, File)
Ed Sheeran to headline NFL's kickoff concert next month

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Aug. 06, 2021 09:06 AM EDT
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ed Sheeran will perform in a concert to kickoff the NFL

This photo provided by the NFL shows singer The Weekend speaking at the halftime press conference ahead of the Super Bowl 55 football game, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (Perry Knotts/NFL via AP)
The Weeknd vows to tone it down for his Super Bowl show

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Feb. 04, 2021 12:31 PM EST
The Weeknd may be known for his graphic music videos and performances featuring

FILE - The Weeknd performs on day three at Lollapalooza in Chicago on Aug 4, 2018. The NFL, Pepsi and Roc Nation announced Thursday, Nov. 12 that the three-time Grammy winner will perform at the 2021 Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show on Feb. 7 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP, File)
The Weeknd to headline the Pepsi Super Bowl halftime show

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Nov. 12, 2020 11:51 AM EST
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Weeknd will bring his popular falsetto vocals to the

In this June 19, 2020, photo, people attend a peaceful rally in Chicago to mark Juneteenth. The holiday celebrates the day in 1865 that enslaved black people in Galveston, Texas, learned they had been freed from bondage, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
'Lift Every Voice and Sing' hymn ignites hope across nation

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Jul. 05, 2020 09:45 AM EDT
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Black national anthem was born more than a century ago,

This Jan. 27, 2020 photo shows Matthew A. Cherry during a portrait session at the 92nd Academy Awards Nominees Luncheon in Los Angeles. Cherry is nominated for an Oscar for his animated short "Hair Love." (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
'Hair Love' director wants to win Oscar in honor of Kobe

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Jan. 31, 2020 10:06 AM EST
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When Matthew A. Cherry became an Oscar nominee, that was

This combination photo shows performers, from left, Meghan Trainor, Meek Mill and Rapsody, who will perform in a free pregame concert on Sept. 5 in Chicago's Grant Park before the Bears face off against the Green Bay Packers. (AP Photo)
Meek Mill, Meghan Trainor named NFL Inspire Change advocates

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Aug. 30, 2019 10:00 AM EDT
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Meek Mill and Meghan Trainor are helping kick off the new social

Actor Jamie Foxx, right, watches the teams warm up, before the NFL Super Bowl 53 football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the New England Patriots Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Gladys Knight, Chloe x Halle give thanks after performance

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Feb. 04, 2019 12:35 AM EST
ATLANTA (AP) — Not everyone is watching Super Bowl 53 for the love of football —

FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2016 file photo, actor and director Peter Berg poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film "Deepwater Horizon" in London. Berg directed a new Super Bowl commercial called "The 100-Year Game" that paid homage to past and present NFL players including Tom Brady, Jim Brown, Joe Montana, Dick Butkus, Deion Sanders and Patrick Mahomes. The 2-minute ad will air during Super Bowl 53 on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP, File)
Berg: Directing NFL 100th season commercial was 'emotional'

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Feb. 02, 2019 09:39 PM EST
ATLANTA (AP) — Director Peter Berg said he had an "emotional and satisfying" feeling

FILE - In this Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018 file photo, Cardi B performs "I Like It" at the American Music Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Cardi B says she received an offer to perform at the Super Bowl, but struggled with the decision to turn down the lucrative opportunity in support of ex-NFL player Colin Kaepernick. The Grammy-nominated rapper told The Associated Press on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019, that she had "mixed feelings" after she declined to take the stage at Super Bowl 53 in Atlanta. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, File)
Cardi B declined Super Bowl halftime with 'mixed feelings'

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Feb. 01, 2019 11:41 PM EST
ATLANTA (AP) — Cardi B said she received an offer to perform at the Super Bowl, but

FILE - In this Sept. 20, 2014, file photo, Lil Jon arrives at the iHeart Radio Music Festival at The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Lil Jon says he understands Maroon 5’s decision to cancel its news conference to discuss the band’s Super Bowl halftime performance with reporters. Maroon 5, with frontman Adam Levine, was supposed to speak with the media Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, to promote their Super Bowl 53 appearance, but decided to cancel and let their “show do the talking.” (Photo by Andrew Estey/Invision/AP, File)
Lil Jon supports Maroon 5 canceling halftime press event

By Jonathan Landrum Jr. Jan. 31, 2019 06:13 PM EST
ATLANTA (AP) — Lil Jon says he understands Maroon 5's decision to cancel its news