Last night, the annual NFL Super Bowl took place in America. In the final, the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers took on each other at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The halftime show that takes place during the game is perhaps as important as the game itself, if not more so. This year, Usher was on stage.
Read all the highlights of the 58th edition of the Super Bowl here.
Super Bowl LVIII 2024
It is arguably the biggest event in sports - the Super Bowl. In 1967, the first Super Bowl was played in Los Angeles, something that has since grown into a major event. During the event, the champions of the two leagues American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFL) play against each other.
However, the competition itself seems to be an afterthought these days. The event is seen as a hotspot for celebrities flaunting their clothes, showing off new trainers or promoting albums along the sidelines. So too this year. With new Travis Scott sneakers, Jay-Z's comeback at Reebok, a new album by Beyoncé and Usher's silver Air Jordan 4s, this Super Bowl was another huge success.
Usher Apple Music Halftime Show
The highlight of the Super Bowl is the Halftime Show. In 2023, none other than Rihanna was on the field and the singer followed artists like Beyoncé, Prince, Michael Jackson and many more. This year, Usher was given the responsibility of performing at halftime. In a span of 13 minutes, the singer, known for songs "Yeah!" and "Confessions", performed all his biggest hits.
The artist did not do this alone. For his songs, he brought artists like Alicia Keys, will.i.am, H.E.R., Lil Jon and Ludacris to the stage. The show brought everything you could expect: different outfits, rollerblades, pole dancers, skaters and all of this wrapped up in a streamlined choreography centred on the R&B singer.
Off-White custom outfit
One of the many outfits Usher wore during his performance was a suit specially designed for him by Off-White. The outfit was covered from head to toe in as many as 394,000 shiny crystals, designed and put together by Off-White creative Ib Kamara.
The five-piece suit came with matching gloves, a cap and, of course, the roller skates on which the artist performed his hit 'Oh My God' along with producer will.i.a.m.
Chrome Air Jordan 4
Besides Usher's custom Off-White suit, it was also the sneakers that stood out during the performance. For instance, the artist was seen wearing silver Air Jordan 4s, designed by customiser Dominic 'The Surgeon' Ciambrone. According to Complex, the kicks would have been officially designed in collaboration between Usher and Jordan Brand, but due to logistical problems, the official ones could not be delivered in time.
'The Surgeon' design showcases a silver, chrome Air Jordan 4 with navy blue accents. The tongue features the Roman numeral 'IV', which refers to both the trainer model and Usher's full name, Usher Raymond IV. A U logo is placed on the heel, reminiscent of the chain Usher regularly wears.
Jay-Z spotted in the Reebok S. Carter
Another important trainer moment was that of rapper Jay-Z, who was spotted again in the Reebok S. Carter for the first time in ages. In 2002, the artist signed with Reebok and designed his own silhouette here; the Reebok S. Carter. The collab between Jay-Z was and Reebok was a tactical move for both parties. In a short time, Reebok's sales grew by 11%.
Over four years after signing the contract, Jay-Z quit Reebok. Since then, the rapper has rarely been spotted in Reebok sneakers, even in his own designed silhouette. Especially for Super Bowl LVIII, the artist brought his signature design to the field. A move that raised the question among many sneaker fans whether the Reebok S. Carter will return in 2024.
Beyoncé announces new album
To stay with the Carter family for a moment, Beyoncé also came up with big news during the 2024 Super Bowl. An important aspect of the Super Bowl is the commercials played during the event. The commercials shown featured stars such as Cardi B, Post Malone, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, but it was Verizon's commercial featuring Beyoncé that caught all the attention.
In the Verizon ad titled 'Can't B Broken', we see Beyoncé as Barbie, an AI robot and as president of America. At the end of the commercial, it teases new music and possibly a new Beyoncé album. On Super Bowl night, the singer dropped two songs; 'TEXAS HOLD 'EM' and '16 CARRIAGES'.
Travis Scott spotted in new Jumpman Jack colorway
Travis Scott was also on hand during the Super Bowl. After the shock drop of his signature trainer, the Jumpman Jack during the Grammys last week, this time the artist could be spotted in a red colourway of the Nike Jumpman Jack. In a leaked photo, we see Travis along with Lil Baby and James Harden wearing a never-before-seen Jumpman Jack design on his feet.
The sneaker has a suede upper, a white Swoosh and a brown gum sole. Straps are placed across the instep. When this colourway will release is not yet known.
Drake bets $1.15 million
It wouldn't be the Super Bowl if Drake hadn't bet an insane amount on the game. The rapper is known for his risky bets with sums of money running into the millions. Before the game, the Canadian artist revealed that he had bet a sum of $1.15 million on Kansas City Chiefs' win.
Drizzy got off to a good start. By a score of 25-22, the Kansas City Chiefs won over the San Francisco 49ers. Chiefs' quarterback Patrick Mahomes was the star player of the game and helped the team to their second Super Bowl victory.
Yet he was not the player receiving the most attention, it was Travis Kelce or rather his girlfriend Taylor Swift who constantly appeared in the picture. Since the two were spotted together, Taylor and Travis seem to be the new it-couple (now that we no longer have Ye and Kim).
In short, this edition of the Super Bowl was another great spectacle. If you want to read more stories like this, take a look at the Sneakerjagers news page.