Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Halftime Show: More Than Just a Performance
Kenrick Lamar, Feb 2025 (Timothy A Clary/Getty Images)
Kendrick Lamar made history as the first solo rapper to headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show.Introduced by Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam, Lamar opened with "Bodies" from GNX, transitioning into a medley of career highlights. Jackson's recurring critiques, framing Lamar as "too loud, too reckless, too ghetto," provided a narrative thread throughout the performance. Lamar responded with crowd-pleasers like "Humble." and "DNA.", accompanied by dancers forming an American flag, and later, "Euphoria." He then debuted GNX tracks "Man at the Garden" and "Peekaboo," teasing, but ultimately cutting short, "Not Like Us" due to potential legal issues.
SZA joined Lamar for "Luther" and "All the Stars," after which Jackson, seemingly won over, was interrupted before his final praise. Lamar, defiant, launched into "Not Like Us," a track embroiled in controversy due to its accusations against Drake, even performing a new verse. He declared the performance "bigger than the music," alleging attempts to "rig the game" and highlighting the power of "influence." The show concluded with "TV Off" and a "Game Over" message, leaving the audience in darkness. The performance, creatively directed by Lamar's pgLang, came after his GNX album release and his sweep at the 2025 Grammys, where "Not Like Us" won five awards.
The performance's backdrop included a federal lawsuit filed by Drake against Universal Music Group (UMG) over "Not Like Us," with Drake's legal team issuing a statement just hours before the show, accusing UMG of prioritizing profits over artist well-being. Lamar's 2022 Super Bowl debut was as part of a multi-artist lineup, making this solo performance a significant milestone. The inclusion of "Not Like Us," despite the legal challenges, added a layer of complexity to the performance, raising questions about artistic expression, corporate interests, and the ongoing tensions within the music industry.
