After Eminem finished his smash hit “Lose Yourself,” he took a knee while Dr. Dre played the intro of Tupac Shakur’s “I Ain’t Mad At Cha” on a white grand piano. According to Bustle, the moment was a subtle, poignant tribute to the rapper who died in 1996. Fans appreciated the moment, and many felt sad that Tupac wasn’t alive to be part of the show. However, others felt somewhat let down that the rapper’s controversial hologram didn’t join in the performance.
“For a split second, when DRE started playing the I aint Mad at Ya melody, I thought the Tupac Hologram was bout to start performing,” tweeted one fan.
Elie Mystal tweeted a simple statement after the halftime show. “I miss Tupac,” he wrote. Thousands of fans liked the sentiment, with several noting that the late rapper was the only part missing from the show.
Skip Bayless also joined the conversation. He tweeted, “ALL-TIME CLASSIC: Dre doing “California Love” at LA’s Super Bowl. If only Tupac could’ve been there alongside Dre and Snoop. West Coast.” Tens of thousands hit the like button in agreement.
