Anyone who watched it knows that this year’s Super Bowl halftime show wasn’t just about the music. Kendrick Lamar turned his performance into a full-blown cultural moment, mixing deep symbolism, political jabs, and, of course, his ongoing beef with Drake. If you missed it, you missed out.
The show started with Lamar crouched on top of a classic GNX car under a single spotlight, setting the tone for something bigger than just entertainment. His dancers—dressed in red, white, and blue—moved from military-style formations to chaotic, protest-like movements, a visual metaphor for the state of America. At one point, Samuel L. Jackson appeared as a twisted version of “Uncle Sam,” criticizing Lamar with lines like, “Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto,” as if he were speaking for all the people who have ever tried to silence hip-hop.
One of the biggest questions going into the show was whether Kendrick would perform Not Like Us, his brutal diss track aimed at Drake. At first, it seemed like he might avoid it, teasing the audience with, “I wanna perform their favorite song… but you know they love to sue,” referencing Drake’s lawsuit for defamation over the track.
When the beat dropped, the crowd went crazy. Kendrick didn’t just perform the song, he added a new verse, “Forty acres and a mule/This is bigger than the music/Yeah, they tried to rig the game/But you can’t fake influence.”
If that wasn’t enough, he locked eyes with the camera and smirked as he rapped, “Say, Drake, I hear you like ‘‘em young,”—a line that instantly exploded across social media. Just when we thought it was enough, professional tennis player Serena Williams appeared onstage. Since she’s from Compton and was rumored to have dated Drake years ago, the moment was a big deal.
Arguably the best part of the performance was when SZA came out, dressed head to toe in red, to join Lamar and sing their songs Luther, and All The Stars. What’s even more crazy is that SZA dated Drake back in 2009. Lamar had performed with two of Drake’s ex girlfriends to a huge audience and on live TV.
While the Drake drama had everyone talking, Lamar also used his stage to highlight real-world issues. A protester briefly interrupted the show with a Palestine flag, but the cameras cut away before most people could catch it. His dancers moved through different formations that represented everything from Compton street life to HBCU step teams, showing the complexity of black identity in America.
This wasn’t just a halftime show. It was Kendrick Lamar cementing his legacy in front of 120 million people. Whether you’re a Kendrick fan or not, you have to admit—this was one of the most talked about halftime shows in recent history. The music, the messages, and the sheer energy of it all made it unforgettable.
