Rap superstar Eminem took the knee at the Super Bowl halftime show, appearing to give a nod to former NFL player Colin Kaepernick, as he took a knee during his Super Bowl halftime show performance.
The Stan rapper made the gesture following a performance of his Oscar-winning song Lose Yourself, bowing his head while the show continued.
Kaepernick, a former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, received worldwide attention in 2016 for kneeling during the national anthem to protest against police brutality and racial injustice.
His actions sparked an intense debate, with US President Donald Trump calling for the NFL to fire any player who did not stand for the anthem.
Eminem, real name Marshall Mathers, joined his hip hop mentor Dr Dre and a host of other fellow artists including Snoop Dogg, Mary J Blige, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent for the show.
Stood on top of a white community housing set, he was surrounded by crowds of jumping dancers as he performed the song from the semi-autobiographical film 8 Mile, in which he stars.
Performed inside the 70,000 capacity SoFi stadium in Los Angeles the halftime show contained themes of nostalgia and Californian pride.
Kaepernick’s life is due to become the subject of an upcoming documentary directed by Spike, which will tell the story from the player’s own perspective.
The multi-part series was announced last year and will feature never-before-seen interviews and footage.
