NBC has faced severe criticism for airing just a 15-second highlight of Lil Jon’s Thanksgiving halftime performance on Thursday, November 27. The show took place at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium where Baltimore Ravens squared off against Cincinnati Bengals. The match ended with the Bengals emerging victorious against the home side by a scoreline of 32-14.
Instead of broadcasting the 54-year-old rapper’s performance, NBC opted to show a tribute feature showcasing the legacy of veteran coach John Madden. For the uninitiated, Madden is considered one of the greatest coaches of all time and holds the highest winning percentage among any coaches who have managed at least 100 competitive games. Narrated by Andy Reid, the feature also contained interviews of players like Gus Otto, Phil Villapiano, Art Shell and coach Joe Gibbs.
After the tribute, NBC wrapped up Lil Jon’s performance in a 15-second highlight video before airing more commercials. It featured the 54-year-old rapper performing his 2013 classic Turn Down For What. According to a report by USA Today, this act has attracted widespread criticism from fans who expected to see the entirety of the rapper’s halftime show.
The decision to not feature the Thanksgiving halftime show isn’t something new for NBC. Since 2013, NBC has consistently aired a feature presentation during halftime before showing a highlight clip of the halftime show. In 2024, something similar happened when Lindsey Stirling’s performance was not aired. The same happened in 2023 when Steve Aoki performed during the halftime of the San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks game.
This year, Post Malone and Jack White also performed during two other NFL games on November 27. While Malone rocked the stage during the halftime of Dallas Cowboys vs. Kansas City Chiefs game, Jack White did the same when Detroit Lions hosted Green Bay Packers. Eminem also made a guest appearance during White’s performance at Ford Field.
Lil Jon (born Jonathan H. Smith) is widely considered one of the founding fathers of the hip-hop sub-genre called crunk during the early 2000s. As per Celebrity Net Worth, Lil Jon is worth $30 million as of writing.
Jon musical journey started when Jermaine Dupri hired him for So So Def Recordings in 1993. Three years later, he created Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz, which is credited with creating the crunk sub-genre. Between 1997 and 2010, Jon and his band released several hits like I Like Dem Girlz, Shawty Freak a Lil Sumthin, Who U Wit? and the like. After releasing five albums with the group, the rapper released his a debut solo album called Crunk Rock in 2010.
One of the most popular songs in Lil Jon’s resume is the 2013 chart-topper, Turn Down For What. Released in collaboration with DJ Snake, the song received eight platinum certifications in the US.
The song’s music video was widely acclaimed by critics and fans alike. It was nominated for Best Music Video at the 2015 Grammys. At present, Turn Down For What has over 1.2 billion views on YouTube.
In addition to music, Jon has dipped his toes in other business ventures. These include an energy drink producing company called Crunk, and a wine company among others.
