On Feb. 9, 2025, Pulitzer prize winner Kendrick Lamar performed at Caesers Superdome in New Orleans for the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show. His performance not only marked the first solo rap performance in NFL halftime history but also the most watched halftime show ever.
Over the past few years, Lamar gained popularity from his rivalry with Drake, leading to his most popular and controversial song, “Not Like Us”. This song earned Lamar five Grammys this year but caused legal troubles for both Lamar and Drake’s label, Universal Music Group (UMG).
In November 2024, Drake took legal action against the company for publishing and promoting a song that put his reputation on the line. Then in January 2025, Drake escalated the matter by filing a lawsuit against UMG. However, recent reports show that Drake has withdrawn his lawsuit after reaching an agreement with UMG and Spotify.
With “Not Like Us” having reached over one billion streams on Spotify, excitement for Lamar’s halftime performance grew among fans, who wondered if he would sing his song attacking Drake in front of millions of people.
On Feb. 6, during a press conference held by Apple Music, Lamar promised to bring storytelling into his performance, and he did not disappoint. Lamar used a video game concept to depict themes from his journey through Modern America.
At the beginning of the performance, drones in the audience spelled out “Start Here” followed by a shot of Lamar kneeling on a Buick GNX, a reference to his album “GNX”. Large X’s, O’s, and triangles on the stage represented buttons on typical video game controllers, furthering the performance’s video game motif.
Viewers have speculated about what the video game theme symbolizes. Some believe this theme is meant to compare American politics to a video game, showing how a few powerful players manipulate politics. Others think it represents how Lamar is playing the music industry game on a higher level than his rivals.
Samuel L. Jackson, who played Uncle Sam wearing a traditional red, white and blue costume, introduced the performance.
“Salutations! It’s your Uncle Sam, and this is the great American game!” he said.
However, he wasn’t only there to introduce Lamar – he was there to challenge him.
Throughout the performance, Uncle Sam critiques and questions Lamar’s decisions. For instance, after he performed “Squabble Up” Uncle Sam exclaimed, “Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto,” followed by the question, “Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game?”
Instead of changing his performance to Uncle Sam’s preference, he transitions to singing “Humble,” which some interpreted as a critique of how America wants Black voices to “sit down” and “be humble.”
Backup dancers wearing red, white and blue formed a divided U.S. flag while Lamar continued to sing “Humble.” This image of the flag could represent the current political and cultural state of America, symbolizing a nation grappling with social, political and cultural divides.
Lamar had a special guest, SZA, sing “Luther” and “All The Stars” with him. Like Jackson, she wasn’t there just to perform either: she likely represented another dig toward Drake, as they dated in 2008 and 2009.
Then came the moment many viewers had anticipated. Lamar sang “Not Like Us” with a surprise guest, Serena Williams, who did the crip walk to his song. This was a callback to when she did the same dance after winning the 2012 Wimbledon Championships and received backlash from the public.
Like SZA, Williams has also dated Drake, making the image of her dancing to a diss track about him more significant and sending him and the public a powerful message.
Lamar ended the performance with his song “TV Off,” which featured a surprise appearance from the song’s producer, Mustard. As the last note rang out, the stadium filled with cheers while the drones spelled, “Game Over” – potentially signifying an end to his battle with Drake.
In only 13 minutes, Lamar didn’t just put on a show – he made a statement. Intertwining his rivalry with Drake with critiques on political issues, he turned the stage into a platform for art and activism. This combination of talent, fearless messaging and cultural significance ensures that Lamar’s Halftime Show performance will not only be remembered, but also go down in history as one of the most impactful performances of our time.
