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Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
MAGA Fans Are Enraged By The Black National Anthem — But They're Missing This Glaring Point
Grammy award-winning singer Ledisi, a New Orleans native, delivered a powerful rendition of 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' — widely known as the Black national anthem — during the pregame ceremony at Super Bowl LIX in her hometown on Sunday. And some right-wingers were outraged about the song — but their arguments missed the point. Conservatives on social mediacharged this week that 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' is divisive and that the pregame performance, which also featured a choir of 125 high school students from the Greater New Orleans High School Chorale Collective, promoted the idea of 'segregation.' Prominent right-wingers similarly complained about the popular hymn's inclusion in professional athletic events last year. The NFL began featuring performances of the historic song at Super Bowl pregame ceremonies in 2021. Former Fox News personality Megyn Kelly griped about the Black national anthem being played at the 2024 Super Bowl, writing on X at the time: 'The so-called Black National Anthem does not belong at the Super Bowl. We already have a National Anthem and it includes EVERYONE.' But 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' is not about division — it's about recognizing the suffering and hurdles Black people have faced in America as well as the hope for a better future. 'Black communities across the globe continue to be vulnerable in very unique and unsettling ways,' Shana Redmond, an author and professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, who studies music, race and politics, told NPR in 2018. 'To sing this song is to revive that past — but also to recognize, as the lyrics of the song reveal, that there is a hopeful future that might come of it.' Redmond later added that the U.S. national anthem, 'The Star Spangled Banner,' was 'missing a radical history of inclusion, was missing an investment in radical visions of the future of equality, of parity.' ''Lift Every Voice and Sing' became a counterpoint to those types of absences and elisions,' she said. (The California NAACP called for a new anthem in 2017, calling certain lyrics of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' — written in 1814 long before the song became the national anthem — racist and anti-Black.) Gerald Early, professor of African and African-American Studies and English at Washington University in St. Louis, told NBC News this week that the performance of 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' should be 'framed to the public not as a protest song but as a song of Black affirmation, perseverance and inspiration.' 'It is unfortunate that the song's performance has become a culture war issue,' he said. The Black national anthem wasn't the only part of this year's Super Bowl to spur culture wars on social media. Right-wingers were similarly outraged by Kendrick Lamar's halftime show, which highlighted Black cultures and experiences and featured Black dancers and other Black stars, such as singer SZA, tennis legend Serena Williams and veteran actor Samuel L. Jackson. Some naysayers labeled the show a 'DEI halftime show,' which many on X interpreted as a clear dog whistle for criticizing the show's celebration of Blackness. Attacks on Black and other cultural celebrations and traditions have ramped up since Donald Trump took office last month. The Defense Department announced in a memo last month that it would no longer mark cultural awareness months such as Black History Month following Trump's string of executive actions attacking diversity, equity and inclusion practices. 'Efforts to divide the force – to put one group ahead of another – erode camaraderie and threaten mission execution,' the agency wrote in its memo. But reflecting on Black history shouldn't be viewed as divisive; it's 'essential,' Erica Foldy, associate professor of public and nonprofit management at the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University, previously told HuffPost. 'For centuries, Black history was erased,' she said, later adding, 'Black History Month raised the visibility of Black history — about slavery and Jim Crow but also about the essential role of Black people in creating the U.S. we know today.' 'It is essential that these topics remain squarely on the agenda — otherwise, they will go back to being erased,' she added. And with the Black national anthem in the news this week, it's important to remember how the inspirational song was born. 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' was written as a poem by James Weldon Johnson, a principal and lawyer, who was the first Black American to pass the bar in Florida. His brother, John Rosamond Johnson, composed the music for the song, which was first performed publicly by children at a school celebration in 1900, according to the Library of Congress. 'Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us / Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us,' a portion of the lyrics read. 'The dialectic of hope and agony presented so memorably in this song remains central to the African American experience today,' historian Burton W. Peretti wrote in a 2016 essay about the song featured on the Library of Congress website. The NAACP adopted the hymn as the Black national anthem in 1919 — years before the 'Star Spangled Banner' became the official national anthem of the U.S. in 1931. The song was 'prominently used as a rallying cry during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s,' the NAACP's website states. 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' is often sung at churches, schools and historically Black colleges and universities, and it has had several landmark performances over the years. Beyoncé memorably belted out a rendition during her history-making 2018 performance at Coachella, in which she became the first Black woman to headline the festival. She wrote in an essay for Vogue that year that performing the song was 'one of the most rewarding parts of the show.' 'I know that most of the young people on the stage and in the audience did not know the history of the Black national anthem before Coachella,' she wrote. 'But they understood the feeling it gave them.' When asked about the controversy surrounding the song's place at the Super Bowl, Ledisi told CNN ahead of her performance that the song, and music overall, is a part of 'American culture.' 'Whether some believe it or not, it's part of our history,' she said, adding that she was honored to help 'remind us all why music is a beautiful language for us to come together.' The Super Bowl Halftime Show Spurred Unoriginal 'DEI' Digs — But We Know What They're Really Saying MAGA Thoroughly Flips Out Over 'Satanic' Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Show Kendrick Lamar Used The Super Bowl To Rebuke The American Playbook
New York Times
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Who is SZA, and why is Kendrick Lamar touring with her?
Follow live reaction to Lamar's Super Bowl LIX halftime show, which featured SZA, Serena Williams and Samuel L Jackson. Kendrick Lamar, a 22-time Grammy Award-winning artist, took center stage for this year's Super Bowl halftime show. Lamar, who was joined by frequent collaborator SZA, performed his hit diss track 'Not Like Us' amongst other songs. His set included appearances from Samuel L Jackson — who portrayed Uncle Sam — and Serena Williams. The Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22. Follow postgame coverage here. SZA is an R&B powerhouse known for her soulful sound and genre-blending style. She broke out with her 2017 album Ctrl, which tackled love, self-doubt, and everything in between. Since then, she's only gotten bigger, dropping hits like Kill Bill and Snooze, and collaborating with stars like Doja Cat, Travis Scott, and of course, Kendrick Lamar. Kendrick and SZA go way back to their days at Top Dawg Entertainment, teaming up on songs like All the Stars from the Black Panther soundtrack. Now, they're taking things to another level with the Grand National Tour, a co-headlining stadium run kicking off in April 2025. Their Super Bowl halftime performance is a preview of what's to come. SZA recently said Kendrick has been grinding hard for the show, and fans are hyped to see what they bring to the biggest stage in music. With both artists at the top of their game, this collab isn't just a tour—it's a moment. The song was performed by singer-songwriter and producer Ledisi, a New Orleans native. Ledisi is a longtime R&B and jazz artist who won her first Grammy Award in 2021 for 'Anything for You,' the debut single off her 2020 album 'The Wild Card.' She has also dabbled in acting, with two different portrayals of famed gospel singer Mahalia Jackson in the 2014 film 'Selma' and 2022 film 'Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story.' She also appeared as gospel legend Gladys Knight in the 2023 film 'Spinning Gold.' Otis Jones IV is an actor, performer, teacher and Deaf influencer on TikTok with 600,000 fans and on Instagram with 130,000 followers. He has performed at major festivals like Rolling Loud, Bonnaroo and ACL and has collaborated with Disney, Netflix and Apple. He has used his influence to inspire and teach others, leading courses on American Sign Language. His family is from New Orleans and he said him mom grew up listening to Ledisi, who is performing the vocal for the song. At a news conference on Thursday, he said: "When I look at myself, I'm thinking about other young Black deaf kids who are out there. I'm using my platform to try to make some change in the world, to try to make things better. I want to educate people about language deprivation and the importance of American Sign Language." Fans are reportedly trying to pay up for Super Bowl suites with a view of Taylor Swift or President Trump. The typical answer: Sorry, not possible. Security teams keep VIP suite locations top secret. Mike Zandman, President and CEO of luxury hospitality company Entertainment Access, told PEOPLE, "Everybody is hoping to see Taylor Swift or President Trump. Those are the two... I tell them, 'You're not the first person to ask me this, but this is something they keep under wraps.' There's no way we're going to find out what suite either of them are in until the game kicks off.' Taylor Swift was shown in her suite 45 minutes until kickoff. Getty Images Here's a partial list of celebrities seen inside the Caesars Superdome so far with roughly an hour left before the Super Bowl kicks off: U.S. President Donald Trump Rapper and producer Jay-Z, and daughters Blue Ivy and Rumi Carter Rapper Megan Thee Stallion Actor Kevin Costner Actor Adam Sandler Actor (and Eagles fan) Miles Teller Actor (and Eagles fan) Bradley Cooper Soccer superstar Lionel Messi MLB All-Star Paul Skenes and LSU gymnast/influencer Livvy Dunne YouTube influencer Kai Cenat Many more are expected at the game, including music superstar Taylor Swift, whose boyfriend, Travis Kelce, is a star tight end for the Chiefs. Getty Images The broadcast has just shown President Trump in attendance at the Superdome in New Orleans. Trump is the first sitting U.S. president to attend a Super Bowl in person. Trump wrote about the game on his Truth Social platform on Friday, praising both Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts — but criticizing the NFL's new kickoff rule. He wrote: 'Two great Quarterbacks in this game. Also, an unbelievable running back, and the absolute best tight end in football (Ever!). Incredible coaching! If they would only get rid of that really weird looking new Kickoff 'deal,' which actually makes football more dangerous, they would be doing everybody, especially the fans, a big favor. ANYWAY, IT WILL BE A GREAT GAME!!!' One thing is clear from our staff's Super Bowl picks: It's not easy picking against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. But it's not as difficult to do as it was a year ago when 80 percent of our 50 voters predicted the Chiefs would beat the San Francisco 49ers (they were correct). This time, 63 percent of our 41 voters believe the Chiefs will win their third consecutive title and beat the Philadelphia Eagles at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Check out which staffers voted for which team. GO FURTHER Super Bowl 59 predictions: Why our staff leans toward a Chiefs victory Sportsbooks are looking to capitalize on Taylor Swift buzz by marketing their betting options with Swiftie themes. Both DraftKings and FanDuel offer 'Swiftie Specials' in some states, which use Swift song titles to name various prop bets. A few examples: 'The Man" — Patrick Mahomes to record 300+ passing yards and 3+ passing TDs 'You Need to Calm Down" — Jalen Hurts to have 200+ passing yards in the first half 'I Knew You Were Trouble' — Saquon Barkley to have 250+ rushing and receiving yards "Cruel Summer" — Travis Kelce under 50.5 receiving yards and Chiefs to lose "Bad Blood" — Travis Kelce to have MORE receiving yards than A.J. Brown BetMGM Ontario allows bettors to wager on whether Travis Kelce will propose (No -2000; Yes +800). GO FURTHER Taylor Swift Super Bowl prop bets: Will she sit next to Caitlin Clark? Will we see an on-field kiss? Getty Images Lionel Messi has eight Ballon d'Or awards. Internationally for Argentina, he has two Copa Américas and one FIFA World Cup. The most decorated soccer player of all time, who currently plays for Inter Miami in the MLS, arrived at the Caesars Superdome for Super Bowl LIX. He's not the only prominent soccer figure in attendance. Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, is also at the Super Bowl. MLB star Mike Trout's Eagles fandom is well known, as the South Jersey native is always a fixture at Lincoln Financial Field during the later stages of the NFL season. But Trout has found a unique way to express his support outside the Linc: by inscribing it on his baseball cards. In recent years, Trout has autographed some of his rarest cards with Eagles themed inscriptions, including his 1/1 autographed card from Topps' 2023 Pristine set. Along with his rookie of the year and MVP accolades, Trout wrote 'Fly Eagles Fly!' on it. That card is currently listed on eBay with a 'buy it now' price of $49,995. Getty Images To quote Nate Bargatze, "nobody knows." We only know that she is in town! Swift was seen out and about enjoying a Friday night dinner with Travis Kelce and Patrick and Brittany Mahomes at Lilette in the Garden District, and then a Saturday night dinner at Gianna Restaurant just south of the French Quarter with musicians Danielle and Alana Haim along with Kylie Kelce and Swift's parents Scott and Andrea Swift. For those who care (me): The first night, Swift wore Jonathan Simkhai's "Joy" black lace mini dress with a Larroudé "Eleonor" Bootie in black leather. On Saturday, her statement piece was the "Billie Coat" by Charlotte Simone, a black coat with fuzzy collar and sleeves. Getty Images The celebrity athletes are starting to arrive at Super Bowl LIX. Paul Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher who is the reigning National League Rookie of the Year, is accompanying his girlfriend Livvy Dunne, an American gymnast and influencer. Skenes used to play college baseball with the LSU Tigers. Dunne is a current member of the LSU women's gymnastics team. Heat forward Nikola Jović, who admits he may not watch the Super Bowl but is a Kendrick Lamar fan, when asked to name his favorite K-Dot song: 'The that won all the Grammys." Miami Heat forward Kevin Love is excited for Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl LIX halftime show. "A diss track won all those awards [last week]," Love said. "Think about that. He had Beyonce and Taylor [Swift] dancing when he got up on stage.' Getty Images We officially have our first audible of our Super Bowl party prop sheet game — which you should fill out if you haven't already! — with Eli Manning beating his brother Peyton Manning in a field goal kicking contest in a promotion for Fanduel. Since this didn't happen during the game, we won't be scoring it for official purposes for our own prop sheet game, which is still taking submissions until about 30 minutes before kickoff. That said, you all overwhelmingly picked Eli to win the 'Kick of Destiny 3,' with only about a third of quiz respondents picking Peyton. Honestly, that makes a lot of sense. Peyton got the better of their head-to-head matchups when they were NFL quarterbacks, but Eli has been better while coaching in Pro Bowl challenges. Of course, both guys missed a 25-yard field goal and then Peyton doinked his 20-yard attempt off the right upright before Eli recovered to nail his clincher. GO FURTHER Super Bowl guests love a great party game. Our ultimate prop sheet delivers the fun Connections: Sports Edition has officially launched for sports fans worldwide. If you love sports and you love puzzles, then this is the game for you. Our own Mark Cooper can teach you how to play. The goal: Find four words that are equal, like-minded, together ... "connected," even. Exactly how hard (or easy?) is Connections: Sports Edition? We asked Atlanta Falcons running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier to give it a go. Getty Images Below is The Athletic 's top five Super Bowl halftime shows of all time, compiled by The Athletic 's Levi Weaver: Prince (2007) Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and Eminem (2022) U2 (2002) Beyonce, Destiny's Child (2013) Michael Jackson (1993) Will Kendrick Lamar crack the top five after tonight's performance?
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jon Batiste delivers stirring national anthem at Super Bowl
The Brief Louisiana featured some familiar faces for the Super Bowl national anthem and pregame show. NEW ORLEANS - The Super Bowl pregame featured some Louisiana spice. Singer-songwriter Jon Batiste performed the national anthem, with a few other Louisiana musicians joining in for the pregame show on Fox. The backstory Batiste, who grew up in the New Orleans area, is a Grammy and Oscar winning musician who got his start as the former bandleader for "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." His documentary "American Symphony" is nominated for best music film, and his "It Never Went Away" from the documentary is up for best song written for visual media at the upcoming Grammys. He composed the score for Jason Reitman's film "Saturday Night" and this month released "Beethoven Blues (Batiste Piano Series, Vol. 1)," which reimagined the iconic German pianist's work. Local perspective The pregame performers are all Louisiana natives. Trombone Shorty and Lauren Daigle performed "America the Beautiful." Ledisi performed "Lift Every Voice and Sing." Trombone Shorty, a Grammy winner known for blending funk, soul, R&B and rock, has toured with major acts such as Lenny Kravitz, Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Foo Fighters. Daigle made her way as a contemporary Christian singer, winning two Grammys for her 2018 song "You Say" from her third studio album, "Look Up Child." Ledisi won a Grammy for her 2020 single "Anything for You." She also appeared in the films "Leatherheads," "Spinning Gold" and the Oscar-nominated "Selma."
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Super Bowl: Ledisi Performs 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' With 125 New Orleans Students
Ledisi took to the field at Super Bowl LIX on Sunday to deliver a powerful performance of 'Lift Every Voice and Sing.' Ledisi was joined during the pregame portion of the game by 125 youth choir members from the Greater New Orleans High School Chorale Collective to perform the song in honor of its 125th anniversary. More from The Hollywood Reporter Taylor Swift Touches Down at Super Bowl LIX in Chic All-White Outfit How to Watch the 2025 Super Bowl Today Online Taylor Swift, Jay-Z, Adam Sandler, Bradley Cooper Among Stars at 2025 Super Bowl The song, which is referred to as 'The Black National Anthem,' was written in 1900 by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson as a poem, with music by his brother, John Rosamond Johnson, according to the NAACP website. The song was first performed that year by a choir of 500 schoolchildren at a segregated school in Florida where James Weldon Johnson served as principal. That performance also was part of a celebration of President Abraham Lincoln's birthday. Watch Ledisi's Super Bowl performance below. .@ledisi and 125 New Orleans high school students perform 'Lift Every Voice And Sing' to celebrate the hymn's 125th anniversary. #SBLIX — NFL (@NFL) February 9, 2025 Super Bowl LIX is taking place at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles are facing off again after meeting up in the big game two years ago, when the Chiefs prevailed. This is the Chiefs' their third straight Super Bowl after winning in both 2023 and 2024. The Chiefs triumphed over the San Francisco 49ers last year. They also won in 1970 and in 2020. This marks the second time in three years that the Eagles have made it to the game, and the fifth time in franchise history. The Eagles have one Super Bowl win to their credit, in 2018. If Kansas City triumphs at the game, it would become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls. Also during the pregame entertainment, Jon Batiste was scheduled to perform the National Anthem, Trombone Shorty and Lauren Daigle will perform 'America the Beautiful,' and Lady Gaga and Harry Connick Jr. also took the stage. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2024: Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Olivia Rodrigo and More
Fox News
09-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Super Bowl LIX Black national anthem performance creates social media frenzy
Ledisi, a Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter, sang "Lift Every Voice and Sing" as part of Super Bowl LIX's pregame festivities. The New Orleans native sang the song, otherwise known as the Black national anthem, at the Caesars Superdome as fans anticipated the kickoff for the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. She won a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance for the song "Anything for You." Jon Batiste performed the national anthem and Lauren Daigle performed "America the Beautiful." The performance of the Black national anthem has been a source of consternation for fans since the NFL decided to inset the song before the Super Bowl to end the 2020 season. Fans were unhappy with it again and made their voices heard on social media. Andra Day sang the song at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. The NFL started to play the Black national anthem in the 2020 season after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. The incident started a wave of actions against racial injustice across the U.S. The NAACP began to promote "Lift Every Voice and Sing" as the Black national anthem in 1917. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
