Eminem took the knee during Super Bowl halftime show

Eminem took the knee during Super Bowl halftime show

Eminem was never known for following the rules.

The Detroit rapper took the big stage at the Super Bowl alongside musical legends Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, and Mary J. Blige – but it’s Eminem whose performance quickly became a trending topic online.

As he wrapped up his performance of his hit song, “Lose Yourself,” from the movie 8 Mile, Eminem took a knee and held his hand in his head—a notable gesture coined by Colin Kaepernick in 2016 against racial injustice and police brutality.

This action, of course, was felt by many with every ounce of the no-so secret intended meaning. The move was deemed so radical by the NFL and right-wingers that Kaepernick was fired by the San Francisco 49ers and blackballed by the NFL.

The nod to Kaepernick for Eminem’s part would have been highly received either way, but according to a report from Puck, the rapper was at odds with the NFL after he made his desire to kneel “Colin Kaepernick-style” known during the halftime show.

NFL sources have since denied such a dispute. Regardless, the rapper went ahead with his gesture.

And, as can only be expected, right-wingers lost their minds.

Kaepernick first began sitting silently on benches during the national anthem, at the start of the 2016 season on 26 August.

On 1 September, he transitioned to taking a knee in protest instead, following advice from Retired Army Green Beret Nate Boyer, who suggested kneeling during the ceremony would be more respectful towards veterans.

At the time he said: “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour,” Kaepernick said in a press conference after first sitting out during the anthem.

“To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

Thankfully, most of Sunday’s viewers also found Eminem’s actions inspiring.