The Super Bowl and its halftime madness lived from the inside

• The Los Angeles Rams won the 2022 Superbowl at their new SoFi Stadium thanks to a late-game Cooper Kupp touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals.

• An almost secondary outcome compared to the show mounted around the meeting, including the performance of hip-hop legends Snoop Dog, Dr Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent and Kendrick Lamar.

From our correspondent in Los Angeles,

Sunday 1:30 p.m. in Los Angeles, the Super Bowl does not start for two hours but already, the main axes around the SoFi stadium are cordoned off and the cars are jammed.

Everywhere, residents offer parking spaces on their

.

Count 300 dollars in cash, plus a kilometer on foot.

Others are in the middle of a

, with burgers, beers and

, a mixture of colored gelatin and vodka very popular on campus, served in the back of their pickups.

You don't have to be at the stadium to party.

In front of the SoFi, some are still looking for a precious sesame.

As with a World Cup final, unless you have a lot of luck in the lottery, it is almost impossible to buy a ticket directly.

And on resale sites like Stubhub, the average price is around $8,000.

Darrell is willing to pay $2,500 “for a seat in the

 ,” slang for a section of the stands so high the altitude could make your nose bleed.

Welcome to a $5 billion stadium

This stadium, precisely, is a UFO.

And not just for its spaceship shape, with a curved roof that seems very low to accommodate 70,000 people this Sunday (and up to 100,000 in maximum configuration).

This is because the SoFi stadium, inaugurated in 2020 – and which will host the 2028 Summer Olympics – is partially buried.

A gigantic hole 30 meters deep was excavated to build an enclosure supposed to better resist earthquakes and be easier to cool. 

After two decades without an NFL team in Los Angeles, Rams owner Stan Kroenke financed this titanic project, which cost between 5 and 6 billion dollars, via private capital.

The complex is home to a lake surrounded by palm trees, and above all, ultra-modern VIP boxes that pay off big.

Under a summer sun, the transparent roof, open on the sides, gives the impression of being in a cathedral of light.

Here is the view when arriving in this beautiful semi-open cathedral, with a roof but the air which circulates through the sides, and a giant 360° screen.

#SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/39Gfs1EjVM

— Philippe Berry (@ptiberry) February 13, 2022

Except we're not here for mass.

On the synthetic turf, the LA Rams started the game well.

Two consecutive touchdowns allow the locals to take the advantage 13-3.

In the stands, Jennifer Lopez, Shaquille O'Neal, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Cardi B appreciate.

But just before the break, Joe Burrow, the young Cincinnati quarterback, found Tee Higgins in the

.

Bengals fans roar.

13-10, the match promises to be tight.

Hip-hop fifties set fire

In this Hollywood mega-production, everything goes very quickly.

In a few minutes, a hundred workers install the elements of the prefabricated scene: white buildings placed on a black carpet representing the “grid” of Los Angeles.

Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre open hostilities, west side at home #SuperBowl (good sound clearly calibrated for TV) pic.twitter.com/8hZUX9dTdV

— Philippe Berry (@ptiberry) February 14, 2022

♫ 

♫ From the first notes of

then of

, Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre transport a good part of the stadium and the 100 million viewers 25 years backward.

50 Cent plays surprise guests.

Mary J Blige provides voice.

Kendrick Lamar and his dancers set it on fire, then Eminem blows it all up with

.

Well, we had a pretty legendary moment with Snoop, Dre, Eminem, 50 Cent as a guest, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J Blige.

Who will maybe eclipse this game #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/gGFQTKPBQc

— Philippe Berry (@ptiberry) February 14, 2022

In a strong symbolic gesture, the only white rapper on stage kneels down, six years after the revolt that cost Colin Kaepernick his career.

They told @Eminem he don't need to take no knee, because he belongs here.

But Classic Eminem Always wanna show his love ,appreciation and respect for the culture!💯❤ #GOAT #Eminem #HalfTimeShow #loseyourself #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/aIboMf1zDo

— The Evolve (@TheEvolveYt) February 14, 2022

According to The

, the NFL was well aware and gave the go-ahead.

It took more than half a century for the American League to give hip-hop a central place at Super Bowl halftime.

It was time, and the site remains immense, while the NFL is being sued for discriminatory practices by Brian Flores, the former African-American coach of Miami.

First title since 1984

Back from the locker room, the Bengals pull out their claws and take the advantage on a masterful pass from Burrow, for a touchdown of nearly 70 meters.

The Rams, who may have danced too much at halftime, find themselves with their backs to the wall.

On a decisive action in "4th down" (4th and last attempt), their star receiver, Cooper Kupp changes roles, runs with the ball and keeps Los Angeles alive.

A few minutes later, well helped by the referees who whistled a disputed penalty, he delivered half of the stadium with his second reception in the in-goal.

The Rams are back in front, 23-20, with 89 seconds left.

The Bengals bustle with the energy of desperation.

But poorly protected by his offensive line, their quarterback Joe Burrow is once again cut by Aaron "Terminator" Donald, fierce

of the Rams.

It's raining confetti on the lawn.

Los Angeles won its first title since 1984, in an atmosphere that was more polite than excited.

We are far from the madness of a game 7 at Staples Center with Kobe Bryant's Lakers. 

Confetti rain for the Rams victory.

But for having attended an NBA victory for the Lakers with Kobe in game 7, the atmosphere is much less crazy in the NFL with a team of mercenaries who returned to Los Angeles in 2016 pic.twitter.com/w28w6s1upF

— Philippe Berry (@ptiberry) February 14, 2022

At the exit of the stadium, the bacon crackles on the hotplates of the

sellers .

The end of

resonates on a distant loudspeaker: ♫

.

♫ 2Pac would have definitely enjoyed this evening.

Sport

Super Bowl 2022: The LA Rams win the coronation thanks to Kupp and Donald ... The match eclipsed by the anthology halftime ...

Sport

Super Bowl 2022: The meteoric rise of young quarterback Joe Burrow

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