Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show was a powerful display of artistry and cultural commentary. The 37-year-old Compton rapper used his 13-minute performance to tell a uniquely American story while making subtle jabs at Canadian rapper Drake. Lamar’s dancers, dressed in red, white, and blue, assembled to create a divided American flag with the rapper at its center.
Kendrick Lamar celebrating with his team after his #AppleMusicHalftime performance ???? (via @NFLonFOX) @kendricklamar pic.twitter.com/ESYYGglbWM
— NFL (@NFL) February 10, 2025
Actor Samuel L. Jackson, dressed as Uncle Sam, guided the audience through the show, making provocative remarks like “Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto” after Lamar’s performance of “Squabble Up.”
Tell me why you think you deserve the greatest of all time @KendrickLamar #AppleMusicHalftime pic.twitter.com/f3cVuZSD2m
— NFL (@NFL) February 10, 2025
Throughout the show, Lamar teased the audience with his Drake diss track, “Not Like Us.” He said, “I want to play their favorite song, but you know they love to sue,” referring to Drake’s defamation lawsuit.
loved the show and serena ate that. I love rap music and hip hop culture man. shoutout to sza too & K dot ???? ???? and #SamuelLJackson narrating was just chef kiss. well thought out
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) February 10, 2025
Kendrick’s impactful Super Bowl performance
Eventually, Lamar performed part of the song, letting the audience fill in the blanks. Rappers Flavor Flav and Ab-Soul praised the performance on social media, highlighting the powerful messages conveyed. In a memorable moment, tennis star Serena Williams, a fellow Compton native, was shown crip-walking during Lamar’s performance, reclaiming an identity that had received backlash in 2012.
Lamar ended the show with an electric rendition of “TV Off,” calling for viewers to turn away from distractions and focus on the reality around them. The stage, designed with a video game motif, ended with “GAME OVER” spelled out in the crowd, symbolically referencing both the Super Bowl game and his ongoing feud with Drake. The halftime show was an artistic exploration of American identity, culture, and conflict, asserting Lamar’s place as an influential performer and cultural commentator.
