Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show
Expectations for this year’s halftime performance sky rocketed. With the announcement to the Kendrick Lamar headlining slot to the backlash that New Orleans own Lil Wayne, should’ve been offered the slot, to the first ever Christmas halftime performance headlined by Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar had a lot riding on this performance. Fresh off the win of a rap feud with Drake and the success of ‘Not Like Us,’ everyone continued to speculate what moves Kendrick would make and what he wouldn’t be allowed to make on such a stage.
Of course, Kendrick had other plans. With his Super Bowl LIX halftime performance, Kendrick showed everyone that even after over 50 years of hip-hop history, rap still doesn’t get the respect it deserves as a real art form. And competition is a big part of the genre. His halftime show showed that America, football, the Super Bowl, and himself are all part of a bigger picture. The first person on screen was Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam, the show’s narrator and scorekeeper, who said, “This is the great American game.” Hip-hop is just as American as football, if not more so.
Kendrick opened his performance on top the car that inspired the title of his 2024 album. He wore flare jeans and began his storytelling through an unreleased verse into GNX’s “Squabble Up.” The setlist featured “HUMBLE.” “DNA.” “euphoria” “man at the garden” “peekaboo” before Kendrick was joined by SZA for “luther” and “All The Stars” before getting to the main part that everyone was wondering if he’d perform, as he teased the instrumental halfway into his set. Kendrick with Samuel L Jackson, narration led into a performance of “Not Like Us” followed by “tv off” Serena Williams appeared during Not Like Us, Crip Walking during the song.
While there seemed to be deeper meaning by Kendrick Lamar’s choices, The symbolism of the set design, in addition to performers, forming an American flag and then the flag divided, definitely added to the nuances of Kendrick’ halftime set. As the first solo rap headliner, following his five Grammys wins, just a week before, the feedback seemed to all land on mixed reviews, with some deeming this the worst halftime show. The Drake diss aside, Kendrick Lamar is the first to curate a set off newer music and not off the nostalgia of his entire catalog. While fans address the show, stating songs he should have performed, Kendrick proved he can carry the storytelling and overall show without touching on what was expected but to highlight the message that everyone needs to wake up to, in these current moments. Kendrick’s reference to Gil Scott-Heron’s “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” at the start; to Jackson’s taunt, “Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game?” and the imagery displayed by dancers forming an American flag with their bodies was far more important than to showcase a more commercialized set.
Kendrick highlighted the political strife and inequity, and while an unplanned protest happened on the field that wasn’t televised—one waving a flag in support of Sudan and Palestine; Kendrick ended his set as the camera panned out to the crowd as lights formed “Game Over,” — touching on a victory, but also the game being played as represented by the set design and also the game of football that would also end. In the end, Kendrick’s performance will open a conversation, whether or not people enjoyed the show or understood. It is in these moments that we let the music and story speak for itself.
Full Performance is Available now on Youtube and Apple music.
