Super Bowl LVI pre-game: Fan predictions, the national anthem and Mickey Guyton, Zedd and Wyclef Jean

At SoFi Stadium in Inglewood for Super Bowl LVI on Sunday, Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals fans could be seen and heard riding up with songs by Super Bowl halftime show performers cranked at full volume from their vehicles.

A fire-red lowrider filled with enthusiastic patrons decked out in Rams gear bounced down Prairie Avenue just outside the main entrance to the stadium, blasting Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s “The Next Episode.” Then another carload of fans in a black SUV were rapping along to Dre and Eminem’s “Forgot About Dre.” Dre, Snoop, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige are all slated to take the stage at halftime.

“This is going to be the best halftime show at the Super Bowl … ever,” Rick Bush from Atlanta said as he stood outside the stadium with his wife Kenyatta Bush. The pair are Tom Brady/Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans, but they were showing support and cheering on the Rams on Super Bowl Sunday. “I want to see Dr. Dre for sure, but I want them to bring out 50 Cent.”

“It’s all about Mary J. Blige,” Kenyatta added. “Oh, and if they bring out Ice Cube, too. I’d like to see Ice Cube.”

Bengals fans John Tinker, Tina Cole and Zack Campbell who flew in from Cincinnati for the game would put money on Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre’s “California Love” being played at some point in the halftime show.

“They’ve gotta do it,” Tinker said, noting that he’s enjoying the 86-degree Southern California weather and he doesn’t really pay attention to the musical intermission at the Super Bowl. “If I’m at home watching on TV, I don’t care. But I’m here and it’s probably going to be the best one ever.”

There was plenty of entertainment ahead of the big show as live music was an integral part of the first-ever Super Bowl at the all-new SoFi Stadium.

As excited as fans are about the big game, the entertainment inside the stadium and in the surrounding outdoor areas has definitely heightened the experience. Ticketholders that arrived early were able to catch a live set by electronic duo The Chainsmokers who headlined the NFL’s livestreaming TikTok pre-game show outside the stadium. Tens of thousands of fans enjoyed the pre-game activities in the official Tailgate area in the parking lot where Fugees rapper Wyclef Jean performed.

As the players warmed up inside the stadium DJ Zedd performed down on the Rams side of the field, getting the crowd fired up and dancing on the jumbo screen in-the-round with mixes of songs like “Dude” by Magic, “I Want You To Know” by Selena Gomez, “Industry Baby” by Lil Nas X, Cherish’s TikTok famous song, “Do It To it” and “The Middle,” Zedd’s hit pop song with country star Maren Morris.

All of the players gathered on the field a half-hour before kickoff to enjoy Inglewood gospel duo Mary Mary’s “Lift Every Voice,” which they performed beautifully outside near the stadium sign and fountain along with Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) with conductor Thomas Wilkins. The moment was shown on the jumbo screen inside.

Grammy-nominated R&B singer and L.A. native Jhené Aiko beautifully delivered “America the Beautiful” with actress Sandra Mae Frank (“New Amsterdam”), who is deaf, signing the song along with her.

Frank also signed for country singer Mickey Guyton, who had just performed alongside Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles as part of the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Festival on Friday night as she performed the national anthem. Guyton is the first Black female performer nominated in a country category at the Grammy Awards, and her album and song, “Remember Her Name,” are up for best country album, best country song and best country solo performance at the 64th Grammy Awards, which will be held in Las Vegas April 3.