Whenever NBA teams bring rappers out to perform at halftime, they’re nearly always taking a gamble. Sure, a lot of times, you end up with relatively harmless entertainment that confuses some of the parents in the audience (or lately, a lot of the kids, considering some of the rappers getting booked are well into their 40s and were last big names in the mid-2000s), but there are other moments that go viral for all the wrong reasons.
There was the time 21 Savage came out for his hometown Hawks and put on a … let’s just say “less than energetic” performance. Then there was Ja Rule’s performance at the Bucks’ ’90s night, where a few logistical issues and the residual Fyre Fest funk made his appearance more comical than nostalgic. Last night, another new name was entered in the Hall of Shame: Fivio Foreign, who popped out for his hometown team — kinda — the Brooklyn Nets.
Fivio Foreign’s halftime performance at the Brooklyn Nets game
pic.twitter.com/D2MOrAzH2G
— Kurrco (@Kurrco) October 20, 2022
Unfortunately, perhaps due to sound issues or maybe because of he self-censored the explicit content of his songs (always a bad choice to pick songs you’re not used to performing clean), Fivio’s performance got ripped to shreds on Twitter.
fivio foreign halftime show pic.twitter.com/tOeiXB7hxc
— ً (@PlCKENSS) October 20, 2022
If you watched that Fivio Foreign halftime show in Brooklyn, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
— KJ (@KJ_McFlannels) October 20, 2022
fivio foreign is soooo off beat on the nets halftime show lmaoooo
— literally just a dude (@chuckiemcfist) October 20, 2022
If you’re illegally streaming this Nets game you know that this fivio foreign halftime performance is one of the worst things in history
— Tyler Blint-Welsh (@tylergabriel_) October 20, 2022
I don’t know who fivio foreign is, but this one of the worst halftime shows I ever seen
— Leif on the Wind (@erikjaybird) October 20, 2022
Fivio foreign performing at the nets sounds like your friend trying to sing karaoke that don’t know the words
— Sidney Deane (@neonboudeauxesq) October 20, 2022
For what it’s worth (I’ve always said this), basketball games aren’t usually the best environment for musical performances of any kind, but especially rap. There’s always a certain amount of latency between the wireless mics that get used on the floor and the PA system, which causes all kinds of problems given the relatively precise timing required of rap songs. Usually, this isn’t as noticeable in the arena, but folks at home are seeing multiple layers of latency stack up, so it sounds way worse than it is. Still, Fivio dropping lyrics doesn’t look great from the outside, even if you account for technical problems.
It probably didn’t help that the nNts were in the middle of a 130-108 spanking at the hands (wings?) of the New Orleans Pelicans, who actually look… good(?) this year (tentatively). Anyway, it’s all just growing pains and I’m sure the next time around, Fivie will be more prepared.