Kid Rock explains lip-syncing controversy at TPUSA halftime show as he slams Bad Bunny's Super Bowl performance

Kid Rock defended himself against claims from viewers that he had lip synced during his alternative Super Bowl halftime show performance for the right-wing political group Turning Point USA in a new interview.

While speaking with Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Monday, the 55-year-old rapper-turned-rocker - real name: Robert James Ritchie - claimed that what viewers perceived as poor lip syncing during the All American Halftime Show was just a vaguely defined 'syncing issue' with the show's audio.

Viewers accused Kid Rock of lip syncing primarily based on his performance of his 1999 hit Bawitdaba, but the entertainer said that the way he shares vocal duties on the tune with his DJ may have confused viewers.

Interestingly, in defending himself, Rock appeared to confirm earlier reporting that he had pre-recorded the halftime show, even though the video made it seem as if the performances were live.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Kid Rock's representative for comment. 

During his interview with Ingraham, Rock also criticized the Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny for his halftime show, which was reportedly watched by 135 million viewers, compared to approximately six million who watched TPUSA's halftime show, according to preliminary numbers from YouTube.

As of Monday night, the video of TPUSA's halftime show has been viewed more than 20 million times.

While speaking about the claims that he lip synced, Rock seemed to admit that the show was pre-taped. Variety previously reported on Sunday that sources claimed the show had been pre-taped in Atlanta.

'I even told them when I saw the rough cut, I was like, "You guys gotta work on that sync. It's off,"' Rock claimed, clarifying that the event was shot ahead of time. 'So it was just a syncing issue that they had, and I know they tried to get it right. It was very difficult.'

According to the rocker, it was difficult to sync the audio with the video because he was 'jumping around stage like a rabid monkey.'

He claimed that 'the left' and the 'mainstream media' were attempting to 'throw [him] under the bus' with claims that he had lip synced, but he suggested pre-recording the vocals would have solved all his issues. 

'It would have been super easy to sync it up if [the vocals were] pre-recorded,' he continued. 'It was very difficult for the Turning Point production crew — who, by the way, I can't say enough good things about — but this was very difficult for them.'

Rock went on to say that his DJ — who was 'not lit up' to announce his presence during the halftime show — shares the rapping duties on Bawitdaba, which may have accounted for some of the viewer concerns.

Rock briefly said that when his DJ jumps in to interject vocals whenever he has to pause to take a breath on the fast-paced song.

Rock added his DJ was flying in to Nashville, and they planned to tape a live performance of Bawitdaba at Rock's home on Monday to illustrate to fans how they share the vocals on the track. 

'I'll answer all the haters tomorrow,' Rock vowed.

Shortly after the TPUSA livestream ended, fans rushed to X to claim that Kid Rock had lip-synced his performance, and not in a subtle way.

Taking to X, one fan wrote: 'Kid Rock doesn't know how to lip sync his own songs'.

'That was the worst lip sync I've ever seen #KidRockHalftime wow that was sad,' another fan said on social media. 

'Why kid rock lip sync everything??,' one fan wrote, before another similarly added: 'Are we not gonna talk about the Kid Rock lip sync malfunction?'

Kid Rock headlined the alternative MAGA halftime show, with Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett also performing.

The initial plan for the show was supposed for it to also be broadcast on X, but that was thrown into chaos just minutes before it was due to start, and the stream was pulled.

In a statement, Turning Point USA claimed: 'UPDATE: Due to licensing restrictions, we are unable to stream The All-American Halftime Show on X. Head on over to our YouTube channel tonight around 8PM ET to watch the full show.'

Although Rock hasn't clarified if he was using any pre-recorded vocals for his performance, It's common for singers to use a pre-recorded track of their voice that they can sing or rap along with.

Unlike traditional lip syncing, their live vocals are still used in the mix, but the prerecorded track helps to give a thicker, more substantial sound to the vocals, and it also helps the singer to stay on the rhythm and in tune.

Rock hasn't clarified if he was using double-tracked vocals, but the practice is often mistaken for lip syncing when a singer gets out of sync with the pre-recorded track or briefly dips out. 

In addition to defending himself, the performer took a shot at Bad Bunny's popular official Super Bowl halftime show, which scandalized some sensitive viewers when his mostly Spanish lyrics were translated.

'I didn’t understand any of it,' Rock told Ingraham, seemingly referring to the language the performance was presented in.

'Not my cup of tea, but I don’t fault that kid [Bad Bunny] for doing the Super Bowl, getting in front of a global audience,' Rock continued. 'I fault the NFL for putting him in that position and Turning Point for having to come out and have an alternative for people to watch. It’s just — poor kid.'

Ingraham interjected: 'Poor rich kid.'

Rock agreed, adding, 'Poor rich kid… I think he’s doing all right.' 

Bad Bunny's halftime show included surprise guest spots from Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin.

Other stars including Pedro Pascal, Cardi B and Jessica Alba were seen dancing in the on-field set erected at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Nielsen won't release the final official viewership numbers for the Super Bowl halftime show until Tuesday, but the archived video on YouTube has been viewed more than 47 million times as of Monday night.