After sweeping all five categories he was nominated for at the 2025 Grammys, Kendrick Lamar carried over his fanfare into the Super Bowl LIX halftime show. And as you may expect, Lamar’s performance was as polarizing as we have seen in recent memory.
Like any Super Bowl, Lamar’s performance featured a number of pop culture icons.
Perhaps the most prominent was Samuel Jackson, who kicked off the halftime show dressed as Uncle Sam before Lamar took the stage.
.@SamuelLJackson! #AppleMusicHalftime pic.twitter.com/cTb7yRoEzu
— NFL (@NFL) February 10, 2025
The performance also had one significant sports tie, as retired tennis star Serena Williams actually served as a background dancer during Lamar’s performance of “Not Like Us”.
From Compton to NOLA. @SerenaWilliams @KendrickLamar #AppleMusicHalftime pic.twitter.com/mnzuP7fJ1N
— NFL (@NFL) February 10, 2025
Lamar has never been one to shy away from controversy, particularly when it comes to perhaps his biggest hit “Not Like Us,” a direct shot at fellow rap artist Drake that includes a number of derogatory allegations against him.
As a result, Drake filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group, Lamar’s record label, last month for defamation and harassment for releasing and promoting “Not Like Us”.
Instead of staying away from addressing Drake in his performance, he took a public shot at him by referencing how Drake “likes to sue” prior to performing “Not Like Us.”
“I want to perform their favorite song, but you know they love to sue,” said Lamar.
“I want to perform their favorite song, but you know they love to sue” – Kendrick Lamar pic.twitter.com/x1Ke3W3NLr
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 10, 2025
Plenty of sports media members loved the performance, highlighting how Lamar got a big pop from the crowd when it came to “Not Like Us”.
Kendrick might be the SB MVP.
— Frank Schwab (@YahooSchwab) February 10, 2025
Kendrick Lamar did the damn thing! pic.twitter.com/2yNxllAPTU
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) February 10, 2025
The Superdome crowd yelling “A-MINORRRRR.”
Kendrick Lamar is unreal.#SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/Dw2xZm8EVl
— Ryan Novozinsky (@ryannovoNFL) February 10, 2025
On the other hand, Lamar’s music didn’t exactly appeal to the older generation of sports media personalities.
I AM NOT WATCHING THIS HALFTIME SHOW, OUT OF RESPECT FOR MY BROTHER LIL WAYNE, WHO OBVIOUSLY SHOULD BE PLAYING IN HIS HOMETOWN OF NEW ORLEANS. THIS IS JUST SO WRONG.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) February 10, 2025
Anyone over the age of 40 watching this NFL halftime show… pic.twitter.com/SJoaRRIe4M
— Matt Couch (@RealMattCouch) February 10, 2025
15,000+ votes in 10 minute poll…. pic.twitter.com/k7OrKaHAhf
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 10, 2025
Others simply pointed out the elephant in the room, which is how humiliating it likely was for Drake to hear Lamar’s hit song “Not Like Us” while watching at home.
I assume somebody is teaching Drake how to file a FCC complaint right this second
— Matt Brown (@MattBrownEP) February 10, 2025
He really just decided to rub it in Drake’s face at the Super Bowl. 🤣
— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) February 10, 2025
Kendrick Lamar didn’t cater a single element of that show to a Super Bowl audience. He straight up said I know who this is for and that’s who I’m doing it for. And the NFL let him. Iconic.
— Tanya Ray Fox (@TanyaRayFox) February 10, 2025
While Lamar’s performance may not have been everyone’s cup of tea, he certainly made a statement. So while he may not gain all that many new fans, he perhaps went even further in strengthening the avid fanbase he already has.
