Football fans unfamiliar with Kendrick Lamar were left confused by his performance Sunday night during Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome.
Arguably, never before has a halftime show left fans so divided. Sports fans with no interest in rap were supremely underwhelmed, wishing for a more mainstream artist. Meanwhile, Lamar’s fans saw history unfold. The halftime show failed to entertain the masses but was a defining moment in the rap game, as Lamar used the platform for personal and professional gain. He performed a diss track aimed at Drake, despite facing a defamation lawsuit over his accusations against the fellow rapper.
The halftime show became a battleground for hip-hop’s most publicized feud. In one bold move, Lamar cemented his dominance over Drake by performing his Billboard Hot 100 hit, “Not Like Us.” The diss track, which accuses Drake of inappropriate behavior, features lyrics such as “I hear you like ’em young, you better not ever go to cell block one.” Another verse takes a jab at Drake’s attempts to stay relevant: “Why you trollin’ like a bitch? Ain’t you tired? Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A-minor.”
Lamar’s feud with Drake escalated when the cover art for “Not Like Us” featured an aerial view of Drake’s Toronto estate, highlighting nearby homes of convicted offenders. The performance further humiliated Drake when Lamar brought his ex-girlfriend, Serena Williams, on stage, knowing Drake was infatuated with her after their brief 2011 relationship.
Adding to the spectacle, Lamar included Samuel L. Jackson, who appeared as “Uncle Sam” to narrate the performance, reinforcing the show’s strong American theme. Fans and critics agreed the performance solidified Lamar’s victory in his ongoing feud with Drake.
Drake had previously filed a defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group, claiming they failed to prevent Lamar from making “damaging and defamatory accusations” with the release of “Not Like Us.”
While Lamar’s fans celebrated the show as a historic moment in rap, general audiences were left puzzled and disappointed. Many football fans, unaware of the feud, found the halftime show unrelatable and underwhelming.
Rather than providing universal entertainment, the performance turned into a rap spectacle that captivated some and alienated others.
