People are really, really happy for the Philadelphia Eagles for not just winning the Super Bowl, but thoroughly dog-walking the Kansas City Chiefs. Lots of people were Eagles fans for one day, just for the SB. But the Eagles weren’t the only massive success story! Kendrick Lamar performed his much-anticipated Halftime Show and he killed it. It was so good! His artistry goes beyond lyricism – I was in awe of the staging, the way he used the dancers clad in red, white and blue, bringing in Samuel L. Jackson for to play “Uncle Sam” to facilitate the transitions. A lot of time and thought was put into this, and Kendrick said in his Apple Music interview last week that he had his pgLang team in New Orleans helping him and organizing everything. Here’s the performance, which included GNX, Squabble Up, Humble, DNA, Not Like Us, Euphoria, Man at the Garden, Peekaboo, Luther, All the Stars and TV Off. SZA did two songs with him and Mustard made an appearance.
The one thing is that Kendrick didn’t actually call Drake a PDFile – it wasn’t even the Fox censors blocking it for broadcast, Kendrick just didn’t say the word whatsoever. But you know what? He didn’t need to. The way the opening bars of “Not Like Us” were played a few times, like an anticipatory threat, was brilliant, as was “I want to perform their favorite song, but you know they love to sue.” Plus, Kendrick definitely had the whole stadium singing along to “A MINNNNNORRR.” He was even wearing a lowercase “a” diamond necklace too. Just to rub it in. Then at the end of Kdot’s performance, the “Game Over” lights – *chef’s kiss*. I’m going to talk about Serena Williams in a stand-alone post!
Also: Kendrick’s smile when he got to say “SAY DRAKE” at the Super Bowl. Truly the best moment.
“SAY DRAKE 😃” pic.twitter.com/htdcofOH6i
— juju 💰 (@ayeejuju) February 10, 2025
Kendrick Lamar wearing an a minor chain 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/eHxkRAZYjw
— BricksCenter (@BricksCenter) February 10, 2025
Photos courtesy of Getty, social media, Apple Music/NFL YouTube.
That was amazing! I was dying by th he time he actually performed Not Like Us. And a whole stadium of fans know about this song and beef enough to sing along to A Minor. This is how one becomes a cultural icon.
I am an Eagles fan by association (my hubby and son are fans) so I thought the game was exciting as hell. The Chiefs are a great team so I don’t know what was happening last night, but the Eagles really dominated.
How can a man be so full of hate and such a cutie patootie 😂😂 I was very impressed by the dancers and choreography. You know when you get Beyonce or Lady Gaga, you are gonna get a huge, fully organized show. I didn’t expect this much from Kendrick. He really went all in. I wished that SZA’s part was a little longer though, but along with Uncle Sam, Serena, it was a great show. Him rapping that long live also shows how good a performer he is.
Also, obligatory, cute jeans, Kendrick 👏
He really is so cute. That mischievous smile and that picture of it is gold. Hilarious. It was so well-done. So much history. Bravo to him. And yes, the jeans!
He wore the hell out of those jeans; anyone knows what brand they are?
There’s a discussion on the jeans on the Meghan sweater thread because they were super flattering and looked comfy as hell. Apparently Celine and a quick Google search says probably around $1300. Too much for my budget but now I have a goal.
According to GQ, they are Celine.
If Kendrick brings back flare jeans as a trend. I would be ever so grateful. I loved that look and I have long legs so it was my best jean years with boots lol.
PS I know fashion is subjective, and wear what you want when you want. But really flare jeans are awesome.
I said it on the other thread and I’ll say it again but if those jeans are Celine then Celine needs to pay that man cuz he made them look good. Not saying he wants to be a brand affiliate cuz I have no idea but he’s got the kind of style I can get into. Comfy but cool.
This is the level of petty to which I will forever aspire.
Isn’t it? I know nothing about the world of rap but I am 100% on board with every new twist and turn in this ongoing story. Checking the headlines before I started work this morning the story I clicked on was about this!
You know, I don’t even think it’s petty. Sounds like Drake has been using people and allegedly engaging in actual pedo acts for years and Kendrick called it out. Good for him, these crimes should be exposed.
LOL same! I love this guy!
Drake dropped a diss track full of lies, saying Kendrick beats his wife, she cheats on him so much he didn’t even know his son with her isn’t his. And from what I’ve learned, you don’t go there when beefing with another rapper. You keep the family out of it. So, yeah, Kendrick held nothing back, and everyone is backing him up.
Loved watching the Eagles pants the Chiefs. It wasn’t even vaguely equal for the first half.
Kendrick was amazing. The staging, the song choice, the build up to Not Like Us. The grin when he says “Say Drake”, the game over message.
The crowd singing along to A Minor. As someone on twitter said, Drake is probably trying to work out how he can sue 79,000 people.
Such a great show. I really think he is a lyrical genius (and the Pulitzer Prize committee agrees) and I wish I had Cliff Notes so I didn’t miss any important references or symbolism. That he did the entire performance live without any backing tracks is amazing. And the smile and Game Over – Ha!
I need this kind of hate to keep me going for the next four years. He was fantastic. I saw a lot of the usual suspects complaining that he had no white dancers. Shaking my head.
No white dancers because it was a meritocracy like they say they want.
Welp!
Sorry, but white dancers obviously weren’t wanted or needed. It was perfect the way it was.
I was losing my mind for Kendrick!! What a great show!!! Game Over indeed.
My favorite part of this is MAGA losing its mind and calling the show DEI. Then, Trump left right after. Happy Black History month, everyone!
My favorite visual: when the dancers lined up to make the American flag. We get a birdseye view which is basically looking down on the foundation of America. The sight: the backs of the all Black dancers.
It showed that America was built on the backs of Black people.
Yes! This was a deep performance. The symbolism was off the charts. People are going to be studying what he did and the message it sent for years. The Drake stuff was perfectly petty and hilarious. I know he mad. Sza was great. Wish she’d sang more but All the Stars will always be my fave collaboration of theirs. Chadwick, we love you!
Absolutely brilliant!!! And in the beginning the whole stage lights up like a video game controller. Samuel Jackson, playing Uncle Sam, then criticizes the performance for being too loud, too ghetto, etc.” the cost loss of 1 life (think about everyone who has lost a life protesting social injustice from Malcolm X to MLK Jr. to Sandra Bland arguing she is being harassed).
Then at the end, he says turns this TV off and it goes dark. Translation the game is rigged against us, we have to shut it all down.
The man has a Pulitzer for a reason. He is a genius and I am here for his takedown. I didn’t watch this live, but apparently, Fox changed the lyrics “you picked the right time but the wrong guy” to “you picked the right guy for the wrong time” on their captions. Snowflakes!
Singing Humble with the upside down flag! What!
There is also complaining and faux outrage from MAGA crying an ocean of tears that there were no White dancers on the stage to which Black people promptly responded “now you care about DEI” Lol
@Side Eye Agree 100%. I knew there would inevitably be backlash given how unapologetically Black it was and we know there will be an even bigger outcry once they are spoonfed the subtext that likely went over a lot of MAGA’s head.
Everything had meaning like the Black men going from the flag formation to the prison yard setup given the preponderance of Black men incarcerated there (hence all the Black male performers) to even something as simple as the dudes in dreads and golds singing do-wop saying I won’t simply exist through a lens that is safe and palatable for you to consume anymore. I’m gonna be my authentic self. It was a masterclass in storytelling and just beautiful!
The subtle and subversive resistance was more powerful than if he had hit you over the head with messaging. It was so well done that I got emotional watching it. Just amazing!
Oh It was soooo glorious Layday! I initially thought the dancing in the X was a reference to Elon Musk’s election interference, but there’s a theory on Reddit that it references the real murder of XXXTentacion, and that’s why 20 lights were lit on the X – the victim died at age 20. He just pretty much outright accused Drake of being involved. I was wondering why the dancers were in only 3 corners of the X (turns out it’s to reference 3X) Either way, it got us all talking. Just a masterful takedown! I am going to be unpacking this for a long time. Nothing, absolutely nothing in this is there by chance and I bet there’s a ton of other stuff I missed.
Happy Black History Month! Kendrick Lamar is a national treasure!
I can’t explain how that Eagles win and K-Dot’s performance warmed my heart. Seeing how Aubrey has been dragged from one corner of the country to the other had been a joy. And that A MINORRRRRR could be a hit against that trash deviant cosplay as a president. I love Kendrick, his creativity, brilliance and charisma.
Well done Kenny! 🙌🏾
“The revolution is about to be televised. You picked the right time but the wrong guy.” – Kendrick Lamar, Superbowl LIX Half-Time Show, February 9, 2025.
So many ppl are focused on the Drake diss and are ignoring the political storytelling. The crips v bloods division, singing ‘Humble’ with the upside down flag, “the revolution will be televised at the right time but you picked the wrong guy”, the lights on the crowd flashing “warning: wrong way”, the dancers dancing counter clockwise = going back in time, the women wearing red, Uncle Sam censoring Kendrick. It was well done
YES!!
It was sooooo good! I totally missed that all the women were in red – handmaid’s tale! Holy snap! The dancers moving counter clockwise symbolizing America going back in time was absolute fire.
Okay I missed all of that. Thx. Going to watch again
Really enjoyed the half time show, but since I’m not too familiar with Lamar’s work, I’m going to have to go back and rewatch to really get everything that was going on.
Sam Jackson as Uncle Sam is incredibly funny when you consider he was/is on the FBI watchlist for revolutionary activity https://allthatsinteresting.com/samuel-l-jackson-hostage-story
Perfect in every way. ❤️
It was all just SO GOOD. Crazy good. Like oh did he just do that good. And I really loved that he and Sza did “luther” – love that song!
Ok….. maybe I’m the only person who didn’t like it? There was clearly a really high production value, but I’ve never felt more old and out of touch (in my mid 30s). It just felt like I wasn’t the audience the performance was meant for? And it’s the Super Bowl, shouldn’t the halftime show have a broad appeal? 🤷🏻♀️
I’m glad it was widely enjoyed, maybe it was just me.
Maybe appreciate the diversity of genres that is in our country? Every Super Bowl there is a different artist showcasing a different type of music that is loved by millions. Enjoy the moment of trying something new.
P.S. I’m 50ish and rap on it’s own isn’t my thing. But I enjoy the storytelling and performances like this.
Well, I’m in my 60’s, and I absolutely love anything that pisses off the Orange Menace. Thank you Mr. Lamar.
Why do you feel a more typical “white” accepted show would have a more broad appeal? This is the same type of excuse that entertainment execs used for decades as to why POCs wouldn’t be able to have stories told about them on TV and in movies – “it just won’t sell”.
Maybe it’s just not for you. 🤷🏻♀️ I’m south east asian, in my late 30s and I absolutely love it.
Kendrick is known for his storytelling and way with words and he didn’t disappoint. A little self reflection to start with on why you didn’t like his performance and felt old and out of touch might help?
Definitely you.
What BGB said below 👇 💯
Yeah it was just you.
I don’t know, girl. I’m a suburban white woman a sneeze away from 50, and I gobbled that deeply artistic and multifaceted performance up with a big ass spoon, so it’s certainly not lacking in appeal to a broad audience or an issue of you being too old. I will agree with the out of touch part, though. Maybe work on that?
It did have broad appeal. It was appealing to the state of this nation and how it’s going backwards. And how most Americans want nothing to do with a dictatorship. And being in your mid-30’s means nothing, Kendrick is 37 years old.
Freedom. That’s the broad appeal.
Black woman over 50 and I didn’t really enjoy it, primarily because I couldn’t understand what was being said. Asked my husband to turn up the sound but didn’t help. I probably would have enjoyed it more if I knew the music/lyrics./context. Choreography was impressive. Loved Serena’s cameo. Anyway..I guess I’m officially old!
Honestly, I didn’t understand every word and I’m in my 40’s. But I STILL LOVED THE WHOLE FREAKING THING. And there are so many commenters here giving so much context to the choreography in reference to history that it might be worth a rewatch. It’s just funny bc a lot of bro country has them doing this rap/talk sound and I don’t always understand them. There’s a whole heap of pop songs where I def don’t understand all the words. No lie, I think my hearing isn’t great. But either way, I was still so into it. And I guess my point is that there is a lot of music out there where not all the words are understood but tis still enjoyable. I do think some people are just not into the rap sound. Which fair enough. But I think it can still be appreciated. I just get annoyed by the fact so many music genres borrow from the rap sound and then people belittle the genre as indecipherable. Sating in general and not as a response to you thelma.
My condolences.
-GenX elder (1966) & white woman living in the upper midwest.
My Mom (72) and older sister (48) said they didn’t like it. I’m a 40 yr old white woman who loved it. I’ve been a fan of Kendrick since To Pimp A Butterfly and think he’s brilliant. I’m a literature nerd who loves any artist who has good storytelling and creative wordplay, so I’ve always enjoyed rap and hip hop. I did have trouble understanding all the words but I think that was an audio problem mixed with his flow being so fast. Overall though, A++++ and I loved seeing all the talent on stage last night.
The Pulitzer Prize winner with 20+ Grammys and whose albums have been in the top 10 most streamed albums of all time, worldwide, for 10 years straight doesn’t have broad appeal?
Okay.
I tried to stay up to watch the half time show but sleep claimed me. Superbowl started at 11:30pm, UK time. As soon as I woke up, I switched my laptop on and watched it on Apple Music. Love it, love it, love it!!
🙌🏼👏🏼
Kendrick didn’t just have a a-minor pendant, he had a-minor flags with images of children waving.
I don’t know, girl. I’m a suburban white woman a sneeze away from 50, and I gobbled that deeply artistic and multifaceted performance up with a big ass spoon, so it’s certainly not lacking in appeal to a broad audience or an issue of you being too old. I will agree with the out of touch part, though. Maybe work on that?
I’m with you 48 year old suburban white woman and I got it and loved all of it- the petty, the subtext and the plain old text of it all. Kendrick preached A whole book in what- 15 minutes? I know it can be hard to keep up and move a bit out of our bubbles( I’m only talking about music here) but its worth the effort!
I don’t usually bother with the Super Bowl and thus stuck with usual Sunday night lineup on PBS. But reading everyone’s analyses of the Half-Time Show makes it sound amazing and I will definitely go check it out. Thanks.
50 yo white woman here – I don’t know a lot of these songs (although at least one hasn’t been released yet! Which is a flex.) I loved that he was actually performing the songs – so many of the recent halftime shows focus on the show part and not the music part, and I could just listen to the tracks if that’s what I wanted to hear. This performance really energized me! His jacket was custom with his pen’s name on it, which has inspired me to write more. And he’s been working out like crazy to work on his breath work to be able to do this show live which has inspired me in the gym now too.
WORD.
Loved it too.
Be inspired!!!!!!! Go get it.
Kendrick’s performance was visually stunning, musically powerful and as perfect a half time show as we can achieve in this world system.
I’m in my late 70’s and knew who Kendrick Lamar was of course but had never seen him or heard his music. I decided to tune into the half time show and I was riveted. So grateful I watched it.
Kendrick’s performance, Harry’s Invictus speech and the Chiefs losing have brought me so much joy this week!
I guess to each their own, since several people told me this was the worst halftime show they’ve ever seen. 😂
It’s official. I’m OLD. Enjoyed the entire stadium singing “Country Roads take me home.” Couldn’t understand a word Kendrick said, or rapped, as it were. I understand he is one of the better rappers. Got really tired of the dancer dressed in white down in front that couldn’t let go of his dick.
Loved his performance. Definitely the message stuck!! When people have to watch it again and again and MAGAs are psst off, you know that’s influential 😀
so sweet of kendrick to let the football teams have a game on the same night as his concert! also the ‘say drake!’ 😁 was perfection.