DJ Akademiks has sparked conversation after offering his take on what he believes some Super Bowl viewers want from the halftime show, arguing that the audience is ready to see a white performer after several years of non-white headliners.
Speaking during one of his livestreams, the Jamaican-American media personality framed his comments partly as a joke while discussing the recent direction of the Super Bowl halftime show.
“White people are tired of non-whites being at the Super Bowl. This is the third year. They want a white person,” Akademiks said.
He went on to reference previous performers, including Kendrick Lamar, before suggesting that some viewers would now prefer what he described as a “lily-white girl” or a “redneck type of white guy.”
Akademiks then clarified that he was joking, but continued by arguing that even a major Caribbean artist would not fit what he believes that segment of the Super Bowl audience currently wants.
“When I said Burna Boy, they don’t want him this year,” he said. “I mean that with—if it was a Jamaican. I’m Jamaican. If it was Sean Paul, if it was Vybz Kartel—not like they would pick them—but still, they don’t want no fucking Jamaican up there this year.”
“That’s all I would say,” he added.
The comments reflect Akademiks’ interpretation of audience sentiment rather than any announced position from the NFL or the organizers of the halftime show. His remarks also touched on race and representation at one of the biggest televised entertainment events in the United States.
Akademiks, who was born in Jamaica, specifically invoking Sean Paul and Vybz Kartel made the discussion particularly relevant to Caribbean music fans. Both artists have played major roles in taking Jamaican dancehall to international audiences, although neither has been announced as a Super Bowl halftime headliner.
Bounty Killer remains the only Jamaican act to perform at Super Bowl Halftime Show where he joined No Doubt for the song “Hey Baby.”
