Anderson .Paak’s route to the Super Bowl LVI halftime stage started not with a phone call, but with nerve and a bit of Photoshop.
The nine-time Grammy winner appeared in February 2022 as drummer during Dr. Dre’s blockbuster halftime show, which also featured Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and a surprise appearance from 50 Cent. On the Aug. 9 episode of Drink Champs, .Paak detailed how determination — and a playful stunt — secured him a spot in one of television’s most-watched live events.
Three years later, the musician still recalls spotting the official halftime show flyer and noticing his absence. “I wasn’t about to be left off that stage,” he said. “I hit Dre direct. ‘Dre, what the fuck? Let me get on that joint. Let me play drums, something. I gotta get in there.’”
Dre offered friendly reassurance, but .Paak decided to take it further. He crafted his own flyer, digitally inserting himself into the lineup. “I’m going to just throw myself on there,” he said. Dre laughed at the gag but told him to make sure people knew it was a joke.
Anderson .Paak 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show
The joke paid off. On game day, .Paak played drums for Eminem’s performance of “Lose Yourself,” unable to contain his grin despite trying to stay serious. “I had the biggest smile the whole time,” he said.
At the time, .Paak was also preparing for Silk Sonic’s Las Vegas residency with Bruno Mars, leaving him only two or three rehearsals for the halftime show. He focused on one goal: not dropping his drumsticks.
“The way they orchestrated it, it went off without a hitch,” he said. “That was a big moment for sure.”
The 2022 halftime broadcast drew more than 100 million viewers and earned two Creative Arts Emmys — for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) and Outstanding Production Design — as well as a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Music Direction.
For .Paak, it remains a lesson in persistence, quick thinking and knowing when to take a creative leap. Or, as he calls it, “forced manifestation.” In his case, the force led straight to the biggest stage in American sports.
