Kid Rock says halftime performance was 'pre-recorded, but live' - but that's not enough to end the backlash

The Super Bowl halftime show has always been a hot topic, but this year the drama went beyond the field.On February 8, 2026, at Super Bowl LX, Bad ... Read more

Kid Rock says his halftime performance was 'pre-recorded but performed live' - but that's not enough to stop the backlash

The Super Bowl halftime show always draws attention, but this year the drama went beyond the field.On February 8, 2026, during Super Bowl LX, Bud Bunny lit up the stage with a Spanish-language performance for the first time in NFL history.Not everyone was with this choice.

Turning Point USA, a conservative group, decided to host their own "All-American Halftime Show" as a counter-event.They streamed it online at the same time, featuring country stars like Brantley Gilbert, Gabby Barrett and Lee Brice.Kid Rock shut down, but what should have been a patriotic blow ended up becoming fuel for online ridicule.

Viewers quickly ran into problems with his scenes, which led to accusations of lip-syncing.Kid Rock responded by explaining that everything was pre-recorded but with live energy. That explanation seemed unclear to many, and the conflict continued for days afterward.

What happened on the screen

USA's Turning Point put together its halftime event as a direct response to the NFL's selection of Bad Bunny.Some right-wing commentators have called the official show not "American" enough because of its focus on Spanish words and Puerto Rican roots.

TPUSA aims to offer something different: a series of national events aimed at celebrating traditional values.The show is pre-filmed in a studio outside of Atlanta with about 200 people.It is streamed online during the actual Super Bowl halftime, giving viewers a chance to switch.

As soon as the stream started, eagle-eyed viewers noticed that something was off during the "Bawitdab."Kid Rock's mouth movements didn't always match the sound.Sometimes his lips were in front of the words, sometimes they weren't at all.He even pulled the microphone out of his face while the song continued to play.This immediately raised questions about whether he was actually singing or just walking.

Other performers, like Gilbert, Barrett and Brice, seemed to deliver the songs just as flawlessly, which made Kid Rock's segment stand out even more.His outfit, a black shirt and shorts, was a poor fit for his usual stage attire, and the energy was a bit far from what the audience had come to expect from his live performance.

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel took it upon himself during his late-night monologue, joking that Kid Rock appeared to be "lip-synching with him." Some outlets described the entire incident as "pyrotechnic outrage" and Kid Rock's attempt as "half-assed."The pre-recorded nature of the show added another layer, as it was promoted as an alternative but not happening in real time like a Bad Bunny performance.

Kid Rock's Side of the Story

Kid Rock didn't sit still.The day after the show, he took to Twitter to set the record straight."My halftime performance was already recorded, but performed live," he wrote.

In the clip, Kid Rock said that he performed the song while recording it, and had no plans to suppress it.He said that "Bawitdaba" is a song that has been performed live every night on tour since 1998, so lip syncing doesn't make sense to him.According to him, the problem was in post-production.The production team had trouble getting the footage.sync with the sound as it was difficult to match the fast pace of the song.

My halftime performance was recorded but performed live.No smacking of lips like the haters and fake news are trying to say.When they synchronized the cameras to my performance at Bawitdaba, it was not synchronized as I explain in this video.pic.twitter.com/k1x1RfI9RY

— KidRock (@KidRock) February 10, 2026

He also mentioned the problems detected in the rough cut and warned the crew, but they continued anyway.To prove this, he demonstrated the difference by rapping parts of the songs in the video live.He appeared on Fox News' Ingraham's Corner to reiterate his defense, calling the accusations "fake news" from critics.Kid Rock framed this as an error of information, not any attempt at dissemination.

Why does the reaction continue?

Despite Kid Rock's explanation, the criticism didn't end.Many noted that admitting it was pre-recorded would undermine TPUSA's "live" feel, especially against the official halftime set.Sync issues slowed production and turned the punchline into a punchline.Late-night hosts and online commentators continued to poke fun at the joke, with some calling it "shameful" or that an alternative show couldn't compete.

The wider context also plays a role.The TPUSA event has been mired in cultural debate, with the likes of former President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson criticizing Bad Bunny's booking in the past.Kid Rock's faith-themed message on his second song added to the mix, but his past as a flamboyant rocker with feverish party anthems begs the question of sincerity.

Ultimately, the cover highlights how Super Bowl entertainment can become a focal point for larger conversations.Days after the match, people are still talking about it, showing that a quick fix from the player doesn't always calm the crowd.

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