Kendrick Lamar promised to share some stories during his Super Bowl halftime show, and he certainly delivered. The performance kicked off with actor Samuel L. Jackson, dressed as Uncle Sam, before Lamar dove into a medley of his biggest hits, such as “Squabble Up,” “Humble,” “DNA,” and “Peekaboo.”
Lamar also hinted at performing his controversial song, “Not Like Us.” He teased the audience, saying, “I want to perform their favorite song, but you know they love to sue,” referencing the legal issues surrounding his viral rap battle with Drake from the previous year.
Instead, Lamar was joined by SZA to perform their collaborative tracks “Luther” and “All the Stars.” But he eventually gave fans what they had been waiting for by performing “Not Like Us.” Interestingly, he left out the controversial word “pedophile,” which is part of a lyric aimed at Drake. However, the crowd helped out, singing the well-known “A Minor” line that has become iconic.
Tennis legend Serena Williams made a surprise appearance during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show, adding to the excitement by dancing and representing Compton, California, the hometown that both she and Lamar proudly come from.
Her appearance sparked buzz on social media, with many interpreting it as playful trolling by Lamar, especially since Williams is rumored to have had an on-and-off relationship with Drake starting in 2011. It was even reported last year that Drake admitted he wrote his song “Too Good” for Williams.
Lamar was also joined by a group of professional dancers, and he showed off some dance moves himself, all while effortlessly rapping his lyrics.
During the later part of Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance, security detained an individual who waved a flag combining the Sudanese and Palestinian flags, with the words “Gaza” and “Sudan” written on it. A spokesperson for the NFL explained that the person was part of the 400-member field cast and had hidden the flag on their person, unveiling it during the show. They stated that no one involved in the production was aware of the individual’s intentions.
A representative from Roc Nation, which produced the Halftime Show, clarified that the act was not planned, nor was it part of the rehearsal process.
Lamar’s Super Bowl appearance on Sunday was his second, following his performance at Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles in 2022. That show celebrated hip-hop, featuring an all-star lineup including Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, and Eminem.
Lamar ended his performance with his track “TV Off,” marking a powerful close to the night, just one week after he won five Grammy Awards, including Song and Record of the Year for his hit, “Not Like Us.”
There was plenty of speculation leading up to Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance. Fans wondered if he would perform his controversial diss track or if Taylor Swift would make a surprise appearance, especially since she was in attendance to support her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce. Swift and Lamar had previously collaborated on her 2014 hit “Bad Blood.”
Before the game, SZA released four new tracks as part of the deluxe edition of her album Lana. She and Lamar are set to tour together starting in April.
As for those hoping to see Drake at the Super Bowl, it was reported that he was in Melbourne, Australia, performing at a concert.