Kendrick Lamar made history as the first solo rapper to headline the Super Bowl halftime show, delivering a high-energy performance filled with surprises, symbolism, and a long-teased moment fans had been waiting for.
Early in his set at Caesars Superdome, Lamar teased his controversial hit Not Like Us, a diss track aimed at longtime rival Drake. “I want to play their favorite song… but you know they love to sue,” he quipped, referencing Drake’s defamation lawsuit over the song’s lyrics, which accuse him of being a sexual predator—a claim Drake has denied.
For much of the performance, Lamar toyed with the audience, dropping hints and snippets of the track before finally giving in. When Not Like Us played, he self-censored the most contentious lyric but looked straight into the camera with a knowing grin as he called out Drake’s name. The song’s infamous double entendre—“Tryin’ to strike a chord and it’s probably A minor”—echoed throughout the stadium, signaling its cultural dominance despite legal threats.
The moment was expected to reach more than 120 million viewers watching the game, in which the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22, denying them a third straight Super Bowl title.
Lamar’s performance featured elaborate staging, including a massive tic-tac-toe board where he alternated between introspective deep cuts, performed within the Xs, and crowd-pleasing hits, staged in the Os. Actor Samuel L. Jackson, dressed as Uncle Sam, played the role of emcee, chiding Lamar for being too self-indulgent and applauding his duets with R&B singer SZA. “That’s what I’m talking about,” Jackson said after they performed All The Stars, from the Black Panther soundtrack. “That’s what America wants, nice and calm.”
Despite Jackson’s call for a lighter tone, Lamar’s set was electrifying. He powered through Humble and DNA, from his Pulitzer Prize-winning album DAMN, rattling the stadium with their seismic beats. He also performed Squabble Up, Man At The Garden, and another Drake diss track, Euphoria. Unlike most Super Bowl headliners, Lamar didn’t dance much, but his signature swagger and precise staging gave the show momentum, especially on the angular, nervy Peekaboo.
SZA’s addition brought a touch of fluidity, with graceful vocals and flexible choreography that balanced Lamar’s intensity. The performance reached its peak with Not Like Us, before Lamar closed with TV Off, a bouncy West Coast anthem. He was joined on stage by producer Mustard—clutching a football and wearing oversized jeans—before Lamar pointed an imaginary remote at the camera and declared, “Game over.”
The set was packed with Easter eggs, including a snippet of his unreleased song Bodies. However, Lamar omitted Alright, his civil rights anthem that became a protest staple during the Black Lives Matter movement. The omission was notable in a year when the NFL quietly removed “End Racism” from the end zone, a message that had been present at the Super Bowl since 2020.
Many expected Lamar to make a bigger political statement, especially with President Donald Trump in attendance, but his performance largely steered clear of overt controversy—unless, of course, your name is Drake.
The only disruption came in the final moments, when a protester, reportedly part of the 400-member cast, climbed onto Lamar’s black Buick GNX and unfurled a combined Palestinian and Sudanese flag before security intervened. The NFL later confirmed the incident, but it did not disrupt the broadcast.
Despite the legal drama and high expectations, Lamar delivered a sleek, calculated performance that played with tensions and left fans talking. His halftime show was, in every sense, a power move.