Kendrick Lamar performs onstage throughout Apple Music Tremendous Bowl LIX Halftime Present at Caesars Superdome.
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Cindy Ord/Getty Photos
For a couple of minutes on Sunday night, the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans was teleported 1,895 miles away to town of Compton, Calif. Kendrick Lamar, the primary solo rapper to headline the NFL Tremendous Bowl halftime present, is well-known for holding up the torch of West Coast hip-hop and burning it brilliant for all to see.
The Caesars Superdome in New Orleans reworked for Kendrick Lamar’s halftime efficiency, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025.
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Brian Snyder/Reuters
With the largest captive viewers of his profession — round 65,000 followers within the Superdome and hundreds of thousands extra at house — Lamar’s efficiency conjured a medley of songs principally pulled from his latest album, GNX. As a revered lyricist, he is at all times been adamant about upholding the artform and sport of rap, irrespective of how politically incorrect or inconvenient that dedication could also be.
Kendrick Lamar performs alongside dancers dressed within the colours of the American flag in the course of the Tremendous Bowl LIX Chiefs vs Eagles Apple Music Halftime Present at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
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Chandan Khanna/AFP through Getty Photos
For America’s annual evening of God, nation and soccer, Lamar performed into fears that he is too harmful for the nation’s greatest stage with sinister pleasure, making it clear that he wouldn’t soften his contempt or his method for the mass viewers.
Kendrick Lamar performs for the Apple Music Tremendous Bowl LIX Halftime Present
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Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos
Actor Samuel L. Jackson opened the present dressed as a satirical Uncle Sam, who would spend all the set leering at Lamar’s each transfer, warning to not do something “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto.”
Samuel Jackson, as “Uncle Sam,” and Kendrick Lamar on stage in the course of the Apple Music Tremendous Bowl LIX Halftime Present.
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In response, Lamar went scorched-earth on the rival that he spent the final 12 months burying and positioned himself as a prophet of America’s messy actuality.
“The revolution ’bout to be televised. You picked the correct time however the incorrect guys,” the 37-year-old mentioned. As dozens of dancers poured out from a shiny black Buick GNX, Lamar jumped off the stage to carry out “squabble up,” after which segued into his 2017 single, “HUMBLE.” Dancers wearing purple, white and blue marched right into a stars-and-stripes-shaped formation, with Lamar positioned as a defiant rip proper down the middle of the flag.
“Do you actually know easy methods to play the sport?” Uncle Samuel L. scolded. “Then tighten up!”
Kendrick Lamar throughout his halftime efficiency, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025.
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Matt Slocum/AP
The extremely anticipated efficiency was already the supply of some controversy earlier than it even aired. At concern: whether or not or not Lamar would come with his 2024 hit single, “Not Like Us” within the efficiency. The tune, which got here out of a feud with fellow star Drake, shortly grew to become certainly one of Lamar’s signature hits, setting streaming data and successful him each the document of the 12 months and tune of the 12 months prizes ultimately week’s Grammy Awards. It’s also on the middle of an ongoing lawsuit.
Kendrick Lamar performing onstage in the course of the Apple Music Tremendous Bowl LIX Halftime Present.
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Gregory Shamus/Getty Photos
In January, Drake’s attorneys filed a defamation lawsuit in opposition to Common Music Group, the father or mother firm behind each rappers’ document labels, accusing the company of distributing and closely selling “Not Like Us” as a manner of damaging the Toronto rhymer’s repute. The tune consists of lyrics accusing Drake of being a pedophile and a “colonizer” of hip-hop tradition. In his lawsuit, Drake argues that the document firm is aware of that the accusations are false however promoted them anyway.
Kendrick Lamar performs on the middle of an elevated round stage surrounded by dancers in the course of the Tremendous Bowl LIX Chiefs vs Eagles Apple Music Halftime Present.
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Chandan Khanna/AFP through Getty Photos
As Lamar carried out different GNX tracks like “man on the backyard” and “peekaboo,” he knew the second everybody was ready for. He hinted closely on the controversy a number of occasions all through his set, smirking when the string instrumental of “Not Like Us” first blared by the superdome. “However you realize they like to sue,” he quipped.
Kendrick Lamar performs in the course of the Tremendous Bowl LIX Chiefs vs Eagles Apple Music Halftime Present, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025.
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Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
However moderately than enjoying the total tune, Lamar pump faked, throwing the highlight to R&B celebrity SZA to carry out her verse on “luther,” their present prime 10 hit from GNX, adopted by the 2 artists’ collaboration “All of the Stars” off Black Panther: The Album, the soundtrack album Lamar government produced in 2018. The glowing, secure, uplifting observe appeared to appease Uncle Samuel — however just for a number of seconds.
SZA, left, and Kendrick Lamar carry out onstage throughout Apple Music Tremendous Bowl LIX Halftime Present.
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Patrick Smith/Getty Photos
SZA, left, and Kendrick Lamar onstage throughout Lamar’s halftime efficiency.
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Frank Franklin II/AP
SZA performing onstage in the course of the Tremendous Bowl LIX Chiefs vs Eagles Apple Music Halftime Present at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
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Chandan Khanna/AFP through Getty Photos
It turned out that the trace earlier than these softer songs was a setup: “They tried to rig the sport however you possibly can’t pretend affect,” Lamar snarled as he launched right into a full efficiency of “Not Like Us.” He grinned straight to digicam with out skipping over Drake’s identify or any of the lyrical allegations. Including insult to harm, a digicam pan revealed tennis champion, Compton native (and Drake’s ex-girlfriend) Serena Williams crip strolling to the bop. The manufacturing even reduce the music for the group to sing the tune’s most infamous line: “tryin’ to ring a bell and it is most likely A-minor.”
Serena Williams dances as a part of Kendrick Lamar’s halftime efficiency.
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Stephanie Scarbrough/AP
Joined at centerfield by his producer, DJ Mustard, Lamar closed his halftime present with “television off,” turning the tune’s refrain right into a taunt aimed on the viewers of hundreds of thousands: Would possibly as properly flip your TV off now – this present will not be topped.
DJ Mustard, backside, and Kendrick Lamar carry out throughout halftime of the NFL Tremendous Bowl LIX.
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Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP
