Lil Jon has confirmed that Justin Bieber was very much a part of the initial plans for Usher‘s Super Bowl Halftime show, but his lack of appearance was ultimately due to the fact he just wasn’t ready.
Many expected Bieber to take the stage during the 15-minute show as he got his career started under Usher – along with the fact he was actually present at the game. But talking to TMZ on Wednesday (February 14), the famed producer explained that taking on a performance of that magnitude is a behemoth of a commitment, and JB — who last year took a step back from live performances and touring after being diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome — just wasn’t up for it.
“That’s a lot of rehearsal, a lot of responsibility, a lot of time and a lot of eyeballs and I don’t know if he was ready to do all that,” Jon explained. “But he definitely was there supporting Usher and they are really good friends and he definitely was supporting him regardless.”
Per Mayo Clinic, Ramsay Hunt syndrome occurs when a shingles outbreak affects the facial nerve near one of your ears. This causes not only a painful rash, but can bring on facial paralysis and hearing loss in the affected ear.
Lil Jon added: “He was thinking about it but I think all of the work that goes into it, and then all of the eyeballs and everything else, I don’t know if he was ready to have that undertaking. You know, because Justin was just kind of chilling. He was there with his wife having a good time. It’s a lot of time you have to dedicate to being in a show like this. It’s not just, ‘Okay, let’s go do one rehearsal’ and you get onstage.”
Check out Lil Jon’s comments below:
Justin Bieber quickly dispelled any rumors of bad blood between himself and Usher by congratulating his former mentor in an Instagram post shortly after the big show.
“LOVE YOU MY BROTHER,” he wrote. “NOONE CAN SING AND DANCE THE WAY YOU DO. LOVE YOU FROM THE DEPTHS OF MY HEART. BROUGHT THE ‘A’ TO THE WORLD, ONLY YOU BABYYYYYY”
Usher’s halftime performance was well-received by fans as the R&B legend cycled through 13 of his biggest hits with a number of special guests including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, Lil Jon, Jermaine Dupri and will.i.am.
The performance, which was watched by the likes of JAY-Z, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift in the crowd, featured a lot of complex dance choreography, Usher taking his shirt off and at one point a roller skates sequence.
There was also a tribute to Atlanta’s strip club culture when Ludacris performed his verse from “Yeah!” surrounded by pole dancers.
The performance concluded with Usher saying: “I took the world to the A” and telling the crowd in Las Vegas that he loved them.
Usher Enjoys Huge Streaming Boost Thanks To Super Bowl Halftime Show
The superstar singer’s performance was watched by over 30 million households, which corresponds to around 100 million viewers in the U.S. And according to TV intelligence company Samba TV, that’s five percent higher than Rihanna’s baby-bump revealing performance last year.
It is also a million more households than the audience for Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige and 50 Cent’s star-studded set in 2022.
The Super Bowl itself was the most watched in history as 123.4 million people tuned into the game, which was broadcast on CBS as well as Nickelodeon and Paramount Plus.
The audience is also the second biggest viewing figure for a TV broadcast in history after the moon landing in 1969.