E-40, Too $hort, LaRussell highlight Bay Area music before Super Bowl

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — E-40 turned NFL Honors into a hyphy detour, firing off Bay Area slang that helped shape a generation as actor Tiffany Haddish and Carolina Panthers rookie Tetairoa McMillan danced from their seats and Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce nodded along to the beat.

Moments earlier, Too $hort transformed the same stage into a Bay Area time capsule, running through anthems like “Gettin’ It” and “Blow the Whistle” that have echoed from car stereos, clubs and arenas for decades.

They never shared the stage, but the impact was unmistakably shared.

As two of the most enduring hip-hop architects, E-40 and Too $hort brought Northern California’s sound, swagger and independence to the NFL’s biggest night outside the Super Bowl itself. Their presence underscored a broader cultural moment, as Bay Area rap voices — from Kehlani to LaRussell — were woven into a jam-packed week leading up to the game.

“On this Super Bowl week, this is the ultimate because it’s on Bay Area soil,” E-40 said during rehearsals before the ceremony Thursday, where he performed classics like “Choices (Yup)” and “Tell Me When to Go.” “It’s a big platform. … Being part of these NFL festivities, I love it.”

For Too $hort, the moment reflected a clear evolution in how the NFL is engaging with the Bay Area’s musical legacy.

“Ten years ago, the Super Bowl was right here. I didn’t do anything. … I didn’t talk to the NFL,” Too $hort said. “So it’s a real big deal. … It’s not the halftime show, but it’s a big deal for me.”

How the Bay Area regional sound sets tone on a global stage

Beyond E-40 and Too $hort’s NFL Honors performance, Bay Area music has been threaded throughout Super Bowl week with visitors coming in from across the country. Performers include recent Grammy-winning singer Kehlani, rapper Larry June and soul singer Goapele. There will also be multiple performances by LaRussell and punk-rock mainstays Green Day, who will open the 60th Super Bowl with an anniversary ceremony celebrating generations of MVPs and hit the stage along with Counting Crows at the FanDuel and Spotify party at Pier 29.

“It feels good to just be important to the region and show that to everyone coming in, like, ‘Hey, this is our home,’” said LaRussell, who said he’s booked for 10 performances over a four-day span, including a Jordan Brand event and a tailgate concert outside Levi’s Stadium before the game. He said the scale of Super Bowl has given artists like himself an opportunity to showcase identity of their music.

“Our spirit,” the rapper said. “That BPM, that tempo, that feeling when you hear Bay music that make you smile and want to dance. That don’t exist nowhere else.”

LaRussell said that his Super Bowl week sets were less about promotion than representation.

“This is where I come from,” he said. “This is my lineage, and this is why it matters.”

Built different: Bay Area’s independent blueprint

For decades, the Bay Area has operated as its own musical ecosystem. Hip-hop here grew with an ingrained independence — from artists pressing records, selling tapes out of car trunks and building audiences city by city before industry infrastructure ever arrived.

The sound evolved in chapters: from Oakland’s early rap economy and bassline-heavy mob music, to the hyphy movement’s high-energy release, to a present-day lane where Bay artists can be soulful, street, pop, punk — or all of it at once — without asking permission.

That independence extends beyond artists themselves and into the infrastructure supporting them. San Francisco–based Empire, founded by Ghazi Shami, has grown into one of the largest independent record labels in the country. During Super Bowl week, the label gathered artifacts spanning its 15-year history for a free public museum, underscoring how Bay Area artists have built lasting careers outside the traditional major-label system.

Empire also curated a Super Bowl week experience with Levi’s, blending music, fashion and local history into a showcase rooted in the region.

“One thing about the Bay Area, you mix all of us together, man, we some bad cats,” said E-40, who has seen multiple generations of Bay Area artists coexist, evolve and leave their mark without crowding each other out.

“Everybody just playing a position. … Larry June got his own lane. He’s doing his thing,” he said. “Kehlani bringing in Grammy Awards. Everybody just playing a position, and I feel like teamwork makes the dream work.”

For E-40, that shared momentum matters more than passing torches or chasing trends.

“As long as I got my life, health and strength, I’m gonna be able to make music forever,” he said. “I love doing music. It’s what I do.”

How the Bay Area is leaving a lasting impression

Watching E-40 and Too $hort command NFL Honors resonated deeply with LaRussell, who said seeing artists in their 50s still innovating gave him an understanding of timing, longevity and success. He viewed their performance as proof that Bay Area artists expand instead of aging out.

“To be in your 50s and still moving and shaking, it gives me confidence,” LaRussell said. “As long as you stay locked in, it’s gonna still happen.”

Too $hort hopes the Bay Area’s presence during Super Bowl week leaves visitors with a deeper appreciation for where they are.

“If you came here with a closed mind wanting it to be something that you don’t like, you’re really missing out,” he said. “This is a world-renowned area. People come here from all over the world to see this place. Don’t take it for granted.”

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