Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show
| Company type | Live entertainment event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music, Television broadcasting |
| Founded | February 1, 2004 |
| Headquarters | Houston , United States |
Area served | United States, television audience |
Key people | Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, P. Diddy, Nelly, Kid Rock, Jessica Simpson, MTV (producer) |
| Products | Live musical performance |
The Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show, officially titled the Super Bowl XXXVIII AOL TopSpeed Halftime Show, took place on February 1, 2004, at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, coinciding with Super Bowl XXXVIII. The lineup included performances by Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, P. Diddy, Nelly, Kid Rock, and Jessica Simpson.
MTV produced the halftime event, integrating it with their Choose or Lose initiative aimed at encouraging political participation among younger audiences during the 2004 U.S. presidential election cycle.
The broadcast became highly controversial due to an incident in which Timberlake exposed one of Jackson’s breasts during their live performance.
Background and development
Janet Jackson was initially considered for the halftime show at Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002 but was officially announced as the lead performer for Super Bowl XXXVIII in September 2003. MTV’s production emphasized its "Choose or Lose" voter registration campaign. Sponsorship for the broadcast was provided by AOL TopSpeed, which contributed $10 million.
Prior to this event, Jackson and Timberlake had a professional history; Timberlake had toured alongside Jackson’s Velvet Rope World Tour as a member of 'N Sync, helping to elevate his solo career. Their collaboration also included Timberlake featuring Jackson on his debut solo album Justified.
The performance encountered sound issues; Patrick Baltzell, the sound engineer, noted that Reliant Stadium’s architecture and limitations on speaker placement resulted in suboptimal acoustics, affecting audio quality during the live transmission.
Synopsis
The show began with an introduction from Sway Calloway and a video montage encouraging voting, featuring celebrities such as Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Tom Cruise promoting civic engagement. Jessica Simpson opened the event with the phrase "Houston, choose to party!" followed by a collaborative rendition of "The Way You Move" performed by the marching bands of the University of Houston "Spirit of Houston" and Texas Southern University "Ocean of Soul".
Janet Jackson then appeared on the main stage performing "All for You", descending via a stage elevator. P. Diddy took over a secondary stage through fog effects to perform "Bad Boy for Life", accompanied by cheerleaders dancing to a variation of "Mickey". Nelly joined Diddy arriving in a vehicle to perform "Hot in Herre" while cheerleaders removed clothing items. Diddy concluded his segment with "Mo Money Mo Problems".
Kid Rock performed on another secondary stage wearing an American Flag poncho, delivering his songs "Bawitdaba" and "Cowboy".
Jackson returned to center stage for "Rhythm Nation", replicating choreography from the original music video while wearing an outfit similar to her earlier costume. Justin Timberlake joined her for "Rock Your Body", which ended controversially when he tore part of her top, revealing her breast adorned with a nipple shield.
The show concluded with voiceovers reinforcing messages urging viewers to "choose," emphasizing civic involvement.
Setlist
- "The Way You Move" performed by the Spirit of Houston and Ocean of Soul marching bands
- "All for You" by Janet Jackson
- "Bad Boy for Life" performed by P. Diddy
- "Diddy," set to the melody of "Mickey"
- "Hot in Herre" by Nelly
- "Mo Money Mo Problems" featuring P. Diddy
- "Bawitdaba" by Kid Rock
- "Cowboy" performed by Kid Rock
- "Rhythm Nation" by Janet Jackson
- "Rock Your Body" performed by Justin Timberlake alongside Janet Jackson
Controversies
The halftime performance ignited significant debate after a brief exposure of Jackson's right breast, which was covered with a nipple shield. Both Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake denied any deliberate action, with Timberlake describing the event as a "wardrobe malfunction." This moment had a profound and lasting impact on broadcast standards and cultural conversations.
Additional controversy
Kid Rock was criticized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Senator Zell Miller for draping the American flag as a poncho featuring a slit, resulting in allegations of disrespecting the flag.