Country rocker Kid Rock has responded to accusations that he was lip-syncing during his much-criticized performance of ‘Bawitdaba’ at the Turning Point USA’s “All-American Halftime Show.”
In an exclusive interview on The Ingraham Angle on Fox News, the singer vehemently denied the allegations but did reveal a critical detail about the performance’s production that could imply it was not entirely live.
The Show That Wasn’t Quite “Live”
Turning Point USA, a right-wing group that organized the alternative Super Bowl halftime show, aimed to provide a platform for conservative Americans who felt their views were underrepresented in mainstream media.
The event, designed as a response to Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny’s groundbreaking performance, attracted considerable attention for its controversial content and heavy MAGA themes.
During his Fox News appearance, Kid Rock (real name Robert James Ritchie) addressed the speculation surrounding his performance, which was marred by syncing issues between the audio and video.
“I’m jumping around the stage like a rabid monkey, rapping my song, and I’m taking breaths, and my DJ is filling in the other parts of it,” Rock explained.
“My DJ, who actually raps that song with me, was not lit up.”
He further admitted that the syncing issue made it difficult for the production team to get everything right in post-production, confirming that his live performance was far from flawless.
“I even told them when I saw the rough cut, I was like, ‘You guys got to work on that sync. It’s off.’”
This comment essentially confirmed the performance was pre-recorded, with the syncing issue suggesting the show was not truly “live,” despite what viewers may have been led to believe.
Kid Rock performed at the alternative Super Bowl halftime show. Credit: Tom Williams / Getty
The Backlash From Country Stars
While Kid Rock defended the event as an honest attempt to cater to conservative audiences, the backlash from the country music community was swift and pointed.
Renowned country stars like Kacey Musgraves and Zach Bryan publicly mocked Kid Rock’s performance.
Musgraves, in a biting critique, shared that Bad Bunny’s halftime show left her feeling “more proudly American than anything Kid Rock has ever done,” signaling her disapproval of the “All-American” show and its messaging.
Meanwhile, Bryan poked fun at the event in a humorous Instagram post, showing a person trying to watch the Turning Point USA livestream while holding up a hand to block out Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance playing in the background.
Bad Bunny performing at the Apple Music Halftime Show. Credit: Kevin Sabitus / Getty
The Viewership Debate: 6.1 Million vs. 100 Million
At its peak, the Turning Point USA event drew 6.1 million concurrent viewers, according to reports, signaling that there was indeed an audience for the alternative show, per the Independent.
However, the contrast between that and the 100 million-plus viewers who tuned in to see Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance highlights the cultural divide that is central to the debate.
Bad Bunny, who became the first-ever Latin artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show, brought a celebration of Latin culture that resonated deeply with millions of viewers.