OMG! Will.i.am says a key part of Usher’s Super Bowl halftime show wasn’t planned in advance or even rehearsed.
The Black Eyed Peas founding member stopped by The Jennifer Hudson Show on Monday, Feb. 19, to chat about sharing the stage with Usher last weekend at Super Bowl LVIII, just like he did 13 years ago when the Black Eyed Peas were the halftime headliners.
“He came out with us when the Black Eyed Peas played the Super Bowl in 2011. We brought him out with us and we did ‘OMG!’ Now in 2024, we did it again, and this time I joined him on his set,” will.i.am told host Jennifer Hudson.
He added, “It was really spectacular, I’m really proud of Usher. His show was amazing.”
Related Story: Usher Dazzles With Dance Moves and Hit Songs in Star-Studded Super Bowl Halftime Show
Hudson recalled Usher jumping over will.i.am’s head in 2011. This time the superstar singer changed the performance by gliding through will.i.am’s legs on roller skates.
The “I Got a Feeling” hitmaker said Usher came up with the idea on the day of the Super Bowl and they never rehearsed the move.
“He called me at 7 o’clock in the morning and said, ‘You up?'” will.i.am shared. “The Super Bowl is Sunday at 4 o’clock… He was like, ‘You need to get over to rehearsal, I’ve got an idea.'”
After hearing the idea, Will.i.am said he was concerned about Usher crashing into him and “busting” his ankles.
“I was like, ‘We ain’t camera blocked that,'” will.i.am said. Usher assured him it would work and told him to be more adventurous, like a teenager in high school.
Hudson was amazed and asked, “Y’all didn’t rehearse that at all?”
“No, not even one bit,” he responded.
Hudson then asked will.i.am why he wasn’t wearing roller skates.
“At Friday’s rehearsal, [Usher] was like, ‘Will, why don’t you just pop some skates on and just roll with us on the stage,” will.i.am recalled, adding that he declined. “It’s too much excitement for me to just bust my booty on the stage.”
The songwriter and producer said he knows how to skate, but not on the same level as Usher or the professional dancers that were on stage.
“It would have been horrible,” he quipped. You can watch the performance here.
