The Super Bowl Halftime show brought the heat with some of the most incredible performances in recent memory.
The Super Bowl LVI halftime show was an unparalleled showcase of talent and star-power that left viewers in absolute awe.
Fans were already amped for the show that they'd been promised in the months leading up to the big game, but no one could have expected just how amazing it would truly be.
From surprise appearances to unexpected performances to an iconic assembly of some of hip hop's greatest legends, here's a look at all the biggest and most unexpected moments from Sunday's star-studded halftime show.
50 Cent Defies Gravity
In one of the biggest surprises of the whole night, 50 Cent made an unexpected appearance in an even more unexpected way: hanging upside down!
The rapper, suspended from the ceiling of one of the white trailer stages the show was held on, brought another beloved hit to the field, performing "In Da Club," upside down.
It wasn't long before he got himself down, and his appearance was an integral part of the 15-minute spectacle.
Mary J. Blige Slays In Style
The celebrated icon brought her signature style to the Super Bowl halftime show stage, and stunned in a white and silver cowboy-esque ensemble that stole the spotlight in a big way.
Blige was joined on stage by dancers who wore matching ensembles as she opened her set with her 2001 singer "Family Affair." Following the opening sequence, she went into a dramatic performance of "No More Drama," and brought the house down with the celebrated singles.
Eminem Takes a Knee
When it came to Eminem's set, the 49-year-old rapper performed an amazing rendition of "Lose Yourself," and got some help on the drums from Silk Sonic's Anderson .Paak. However, he really raised the bar when he capped off his section of the show by taking a knee -- a show of solidarity with NFL players who have used the gesture as a sign of protest, most famously by Colin Kaepernick.
Kendrick Lamar Pays Tribute
The 34-year-old artist appeared out of a cardboard box alongside an army of identical backup dancers all paying tribute to Dr. Dre with "Dre Day" sashes across the chest, and the performance was the welcome modern touch that the largely nostalgic show needed to amp the energy even higher. Lamar wowed with performances of "m.A.A.d City" and "Alright."
Touching Tupac Tributes
Sunday's performance made sure to pay homage to many of the biggest influences on hip hop -- include the late Tupac Shakur. However, the tributes to Tupac weren't over-the-top (i.e. no holograms this time around). Instead, Dr. Dre and Snoop performed a rendition of "California Love," at the top of the set.
Later, in a surprisingly touching moment, Dr. Dre took a seat at a piano and played the famous intro to the late artist's "I Ain’t Mad At Cha" that struck a chord with a lot of fans.
Coming Together!
After Snoop Dog and Dr. Dre opened the show, the pair closed it out again with a performance of "Still D.R.E.," which was a perfect culmination of everything the show was trying to bring to the field. As they performed, all the night's legendary artists all came together on the same stage for a moment that will go down in halftime show history.
Ahead of the big show, Dre, Snoop and Mary J. Blige gathered for a press conference, where they promised one of the biggest halftime performances of all time.
"I'm not trying to be egotistical or anything, but who else could do this show here in L.A.?" Dre remarked. "Who else could perform the halftime show, other than these amazing artists that we put together?"
"The Super Bowl is the biggest sporting event in the world, and hip-hop is the biggest form of music in the world," Snoop agreed. "For us to be able to have the opportunity to bring those worlds together? We got the queen of R&B, we got the king of hip-hop, all of his proteges, that's what it's about."
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