50 Cent made a surprise appearance during this year’s Super Bowl halftime show hanging upside down, recreating the video scene from his 2002 smash “In Da Club”, but critical fans were quick to point out Fif’s obvious weight gain from his former 28-year-old self.
Despite looking fairly fit for a 46-year-old, critics immediately started flinging fat jokes, to some people, who didn’t care for 50 Cent either way, felt the Power creator was being judged by people who were way more out of shape than he’s ever been.
Some people even felt that Fif deserved the online lashing, with so many people that he’s managed to embarrass on social media. One critic said, “Typically I would be against the body shaming of 50 Cent but the way his misogynistic vitriol is targeted towards Black women and their bodies the majority of the time, this fat Black girl gonna get some full belly laughs at his expense.”
Everyone talking about how fat 50 is now I bet none of y’all could get up there, hang upside down & rap. GTFOH.. y’all can’t even do a pull up BE REAL @50centpic.twitter.com/zKAQSWC0U4
What psychological delusion leads some to believe 50 Cent is FAT!? I don't even give a f**k about Fifty, but this is ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/q247ltNiWB
Jennifer Lopez and Shakira may have shut down Halftime during the Super Bowl, but their amazing performances was no match for the blatant racism and criticism of MAGA Twitter.
On Sunday (Feb. 2) the duo took the stage delivering a powerful and culture filled performances which included a medley of their hits, a performance by rapper Bad Bunny, and also a poignant message regarding the social injustices that are effecting the Latinx community.
As J. Lo was finishing her “Dance Again” hit, Hard Rock Stadium turned dark –– only to be brightened by her daughter Emme and other children who were caged in neon structures. While moving out of the cage, Emme began to sing the opening lyrics of “Let’s Get Loud” and cameras focused on kids with sweaters that had U.S. flags on them.
Many on social media believed it was a call for attention to Trump’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy, which split up hundreds of parents and children at the border; while the American flags and J. Lo singing Bruce Springsteen’s classic hit “Born in the USA” before donning a Puerto Rican flag cape points to J. Lo shining a light on the deplorable condition that Trump and his administration has left Puerto Rico (which is part of the United States) in after continued natural disasters devastation.https://twitter.com/DavidBegnaud/status/1224411004714586113?s=20
Back in December, Puerto Rico was hit with a 4.7 magnitude earthquake, kicking off a series of seismic events on the island, with more than 2,000 tremors occurring since the original quake; leaving the island’s three million people in fear, and wanting for aid.
Either way, MAGA Twitter was not happy, taking to social media to broadcast their hate and clear ignorance.
Despite the ignorance being spewed, the messages being conveyed were loud and clear and the fact that two women of color over the age of 40 are still able to not only command a stage but dominate entire conversations proves that the choice to perform was a calculated risk that paid off.
“The Super Bowl is a very American event, as American as it can get,” Shakira said during Thursday’s NFL-sponsored press conference. “It’s also going to be a reminder of the heritage of this country, which is one of diversity.”
Check out the amazing performance and some of the reactions below.
Photos hit the internet today showing images of Jay-Z and Beyonce sitting down during the National Anthem at Super Bowl LIV in Miami. Former 49ers QB and civil activist Colin Kaepernick weighed in on what is now seen as a rebellious move on Instagram, calling out Hip Hop’s first family.
Kaepernick posted a screenshot of the TMZ post on his story that featured a headline talking about Jay and Bey not standing during the anthem.
“I thought we were past kneeling?”, referencing Hov’s response last year about the kneeling protests.
Is Jay and Bey’s sitting protest similar to Kaepernick’s kneeling? Or did Hove leave CK hanging?
The Super Bowl invokes a lot of emotion from a lot of different people, nearly splitting the Black community down the middle. And with Jay-z inking his historic deal with the NFL almost half a year ago, Black folk have become even more divided.
Many love Jay-Z. His lyrical gifts. His industrial nature and hustle-like mentality. His taste in women. Even his drip. He has become an icon representing self-determination and prosperity to so many in urban America. Particularly, when it was revealed in 2019 byForbesmagazine that the “Can’t Knock the Hustle” emcee had become a billionaire.
At the same time, we love Colin Kaepernick. His sportsmanship. His work ethic. His principles and courage to speak out. That he is educated and a Kappa. This stood out when in 2017 when everyone wanted him to be their man of the year for his commitment to bringing attention to police violence against Black and Brown people.
Even Jay-Z was riding. In 2017, Jay-Z took to SNL for their season premiere and rocked Kap’s jersey.
So, when he seemingly did a turnaround and started working with the NFL, even under the cloak of moving them towards a place of social justice and investment, people thought he turned his back on Kap.
If Colin Kaepernick isn’t part of this, I’m not sure how to feel about this. Very curious about these details https://t.co/6Cw4gqOIrH
But reports said that Jay-Z attempted to make it right. It was leaked that he has something to do with Kap’s workout session last fall (even though that was a mess).
This much can be said.
Since Jay-Z has been working with the NFL, there have been a few initiatives that have been implemented with the aim to do the work that both men stand for.
Since April 2018, more than $25 million in grants have been awarded to social justice organizations as part of the NFL’s Inspire Change initiative. This includes more than 500 grants awarded to current and former NFL players for nonprofits across the country.
As part of the NFL’s 100th season Inspire Change efforts, the league is adding six new social justice grants and two grant renewals recently approved by the joint NFL players-owners working group. These new grants and renewals total nearly $3 million and are in addition to the grants previously announced in January 2019 and June 2019. The league is also introducing new Inspire Change videos to raise awareness about social justice.
Seems like there is some work being done. But does it jive? Does this still allow Kap to been seen as a sacrificial cow, while his brother sits bullishly at the table with those who have served him up?
In a New York Times interview with Jay-Z published over the weekend, the Roc Nation head honcho said, “No one is saying he hasn’t been done wrong. He was done wrong. I would understand if it was three months ago. But it was three years ago and someone needs to say, ‘What do we do now — because people are still dying?’”
He went on to say, “We are two adult men who disagree on the tactic but are marching for the same cause.”
And this speaks to the grand act of protest that he and his wife Beyoncé and their daughter engaged in during Super Bowl LIV. Were they gangsta like on some Spook That Sat by The Door sh*t? Seems like it?
But then you note that Demi Lovato is signed to Roc Nation’s management and the other part of Jay-Z’s deal with the NFL is to provide talent for their events.
It is hard to decipher.
What everyone does know is that sometimes you can’t make money with people who don’t mind pushing over our/your brother… there is a bag elsewhere.
But hold up… how many other rappers and Black entertainers were rocking with Kap and were out at the Super Bowl popping bottles.
Bishop Desmond Tutu offers this, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”
