Tam’s Burgers forever: For locals, Compton landmarks steal the Super Bowl halftime show
The Super Bowl halftime show with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar had an unexpected star Sunday: a stage design that went to impressive lengths to highlight landmarks in South L.A.
Locals were thrilled to see a marquee of the legendary Compton dance club Eve After Dark, where the DNA of Dre’s sound first gathered steam before turning into G-Funk.
Tam’s Burgers No. 21 on West Rosecrans Avenue got lovingly represented, as did the giant doughnut sign of Dale’s in Compton. The sweeping panels of the Martin Luther King memorial in Compton bookended one side of the stage.
Dre was joined by Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Eminem and guest 50 Cent in one of the great halftime shows of all time.
Locations like these have long figured into the lore of L.A. hip-hop. But as the area gentrifies — driven, in a major way, by the opening of SoFi Stadium — there’s concern that the city, as remembered through its classic rap lyrics, is disappearing. For its residents and rap fans, these landmarks remain a connection to musical history.
As Kendrick Lamar raps on “Element,” “I be hangin’ out at Tam’s, I be on Stockton / I don’t do it for the ‘Gram, I do it for Compton.” Even if the area’s skyline is now dominated by a multibillion-dollar stadium, a little burger joint like Tam’s keeps a sense of place.
The biggest entertainment stories
Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
