Wu-Tang Clan Will Headline the Detroit Lions' Thanksgiving Halftime Show

Thanksgiving in Detroit is about to get a Shaolin makeover. The Detroit Lions announced Sunday, Nov. 1, that Wu-Tang Clan will headline the halftime show at the 87th annual Thanksgiving Day Classic, and Eminem is part of the reason why. Here's everything we know.

The Details

Per the Detroit Lions' official announcement, the Lions host the Chicago Bears on Thursday, Nov. 26, at Ford Field. The game is nationally televised on CBS at 1 p.m. ET, and CBS Sports adds that the game and halftime show will also stream on Paramount+. The halftime show is powered by Verizon.

Actor and recording artist Antonio Cipriano, a Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan native who also appeared on Broadway in "Jagged Little Pill," will sing the national anthem, according to the team.

Eminem and Paul Rosenberg Made the Call

The Lions say this is the second year of a multi-year partnership in which Eminem and his longtime manager, Shady Records president Paul Rosenberg, serve as executive producers of the halftime show and select the talent. Last year's performer was Detroit rock artist Jack White, as CBS Detroit notes.

Rosenberg said in the announcement, "We often like to do things that are both exciting and unexpected. A Wu-Tang Clan Thanksgiving performance in Detroit certainly fits that description!" He added, "Both Eminem and myself have been Wu fans since the early 90's along with a whole generation of Detroit football fans, and we are honored to bring them to this year's stage."

Lions president and CEO Rich Haddad called Thanksgiving Day Classic "one of the greatest traditions in sports" and said Wu-Tang "is one of the greatest performers in music." He said the team is "thrilled to have Wu-Tang headlining our Thanksgiving halftime show and grateful to Marshall and Paul for their partnership."

A Farewell Tour and a Hall of Fame Night

The timing is big for the Clan. The Lions say the performance arrives as Wu-Tang wraps its global farewell tour, Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber. The group is also part of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2026. According to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the induction ceremony tapes Saturday, Nov. 14 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and will debut on ABC and Disney+ in December. That means the Detroit halftime show comes less than two weeks after the induction night.

One note on wording: the Lions' release says the group has been "inducted," but the Hall's own timeline has the ceremony set for Nov. 14, and CBS Detroit describes the group as set to be inducted that day. Either way, the honor is official, and the party is coming.

The Wu Résumé

According to the Lions, Wu-Tang Clan has released eight group albums, three of them quadruple-platinum, and the collective's catalog, including solo projects, spans more than 85 full-length releases. The group formed on Staten Island, New York, in the early 1990s and has toured as a unit since its 1993 debut. The lineup named in the release is RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck, Cappadonna and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard.

That debut is Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). CBS Detroit lists "C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)," "Protect Ya Neck," "Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta F' Wit" and "Gravel Pit" among their best-known songs. Those four records alone could fill a halftime. The team says the members have also built a cultural empire with clothing lines, video games, books, and film and television work.

If you want to get ready, you can pick up Wu-Tang Clan vinyl or browse Wu-Tang Clan merch.

What We Don't Know Yet

The announcement doesn't say how long the set will be, which songs Wu-Tang will perform, or whether every member will be on the Ford Field stage. It also doesn't mention any guests. We'll update you if the Lions, Shady Records, or the group share more details.

Why It Matters

A Thanksgiving slot on CBS puts a rap group in front of one of the biggest holiday audiences on TV, and this one comes straight from the people who picked them. Rosenberg says he and Eminem have been Wu fans since the early 90s, so this reads as a fan's choice. For a group in the middle of a farewell run, it's also a reminder of how far the crew has come since forming on Staten Island.

Mark your calendar: Thursday, Nov. 26, 1 p.m. ET on CBS. Which Wu-Tang record do you want to hear at halftime? Tell us in the comments.

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