Hours after being mercilessly mocked online for his controversial “All‑American Halftime Show” on February 8, Kid Rock fired back with a cryptic response to the backlash.
”Redneck Halftime”
Some critics labeled it the “Temu Halftime”.
Others called it “Redneck Halftime,” and joked it looked like it was held in a Dollar Tree parking lot.
But millions of people still tuned in to Turning Point USA’s “All‑American Halftime Show” on February 8 — with the livestream drawing over 5 million concurrent viewers and peaking at around 6 million on YouTube alone.
And while Bad Bunny thrilled people at the official Super Bowl halftime show, Kid Rock took the stage at TPUSA’s alternative event alongside country performers Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett.
A key moment during the show was a tribute to Charlie Kirk, who tragically died last September. Host Jack Posobiec opened the show by declaring, “This one’s for you, Charlie!”
Quickly sparked criticism
Rock opened with a shortened version of his 1999 hit Bawitdaba, then performed a slow, acoustic rendition of Cody Johnson’s ’Til You Can’t. During the set, he added a self-written third verse honoring Kirk:
“There’s a book sitting in your house somewhere that could use some dusting off. There’s a man who di*d for all our sins hanging from the cross. You can give your life to Jesus and he’ll give you a second chance. Till you can’t.”
But performance quickly sparked criticism, with some accusing Rock of lip-syncing. One viral comment read, “It’s like handing toddlers an iPad so they stop melting down and everyone else can enjoy the real halftime show in peace.”
Despite the backlash, Rock took to X the following day, announcing a studio recording of his performance:
Reactions were mixed. Critics wrote:
“Sorry I didn’t tune into… I was busy watching Bad Bunny crush it…”
“Dude, you are a performer and after that first song you did, it was enough for me to turn it off. I like your music, but lip-syncing is not a good performance.”
“MAGA: We don’t understand a lick of what Bad Bunny sings. Also MAGA: Don’t know the difference between there, their, and they’re.”
“Even Trump admitted that he didn’t watch the alternative country music hucklebuck show and instead opted to watch the Bad Bunny experience, which was MUCH better, obviously,” joked one person.
“Trump had a long rant about the Bad Bunny show proving that he watched it.”
“I totally loved it”
But not everyone disapproved. Supporters praised Rock’s tribute to Kirk:
“I totally loved it and went to purchase it. Glad it will be available later. Great job.”
“I’m getting it—I’ve played it a dozen times already. You can see the love of Christ on your face, hear it in your voice and in your actions in that song.”
“It was a beautiful tribute to Charlie, thank you for honoring him!”
The event included a video montage of Kirk, his wife Erika, and their children, accompanied by Kirk’s voiceover:
“I want to honor God in all that I do. I want to be a great husband, a great father, I want to serve this country. I want to try to continue to lead this movement.”
Some conservatives, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and media personality Megyn Kelly, publicly supported Rock, while others — including Kacey Musgraves — mocked the show. On X, Musgraves wrote, “Well. That made me feel more proudly American than anything Kid Rock has ever done.”
One user summed it up: “Sure, it was bad. Did you expect something different?” Another added, “No agenda, except celebrating the MAGA agenda.”