Hip Hop/ Rap
Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show: A Performance of Digs at Drake
Kendrick Lamar delivered a memorable performance during the Super Bowl 2025 Halftime Show at the Caesars Superdome, blending his signature storytelling with high-energy performances and unexpected cameos from including SZA. While fans anticipated his setlist, one of the night’s biggest surprises came when tennis legend Serena Williams joined him onstage—an unexpected nod to Lamar’s ongoing feud with Drake, who briefly dated Williams in 2011.
Lamar, 37, concluded his set with the Grammy-winning diss track “Not Like Us,” a song at the centre of his lyrical battle with Drake. However, in a subtle yet significant change, Kendrick Lamar omitted the controversial line accusing the Toronto rapper of inappropriate behaviour, likely due to Drake’s ongoing defamation lawsuit against his record label, UMG. Before launching into the song, Lamar remarked: “I want to play their favourite song, but you know they love to sue,” further fueling speculation about his thoughts on the legal battle.
A Star-Studded Performance
The halftime show opened with an introduction by the legendary Samuel L. Jackson, dressed as Uncle Sam. He appeared multiple times throughout the set, adding a theatrical flair to the performance. Lamar delivered a series of his biggest hits, including “HUMBLE” and “Squabble Up,” before transitioning into the much-anticipated “Not Like Us.”
SZA, a longtime collaborator of Lamar’s, also graced the stage, dazzling in a red leather ensemble as she performed “Luther” and “Gloria” from Lamar’s latest album, GNX. Her appearance had been announced before the event, building anticipation for their dynamic onstage chemistry.
While many fans had speculated that Lil Wayne—New Orleans’ rap icon—would appear during the performance, he ultimately did not. While he had previously expressed disappointment over not being included, he later clarified that he held no ill feelings toward Kendrick Lamar and acknowledged that the decision was out of the Compton rapper’s hands.
The Serena Williams Moment
Perhaps the night’s most unexpected and talked-about moment was Serena Williams’s appearance. The tennis superstar, who had a brief romantic history with Drake, danced alongside Lamar during “Not Like Us,” a move that many interpreted as a calculated jab at Drake. Social media erupted with reactions, with fans praising the bold inclusion of Serena Williams in a performance centred around a song targeting her ex.
Kendrick Lamar with Serena Williams, SZA at Super Bowl Halftime Show
Despite the high-energy diss track, Kendrick Lamar maintained restraint by tweaking the lyrics, likely to avoid further legal repercussions. Nevertheless, the performance conveys that his feud with Drake is far from over.
In a pre-show press conference with Apple Music, Lamar had teased that his performance would be centred around “storytelling,” a hallmark of his music career. True to his word, his halftime show blended narrative, spectacle, and cultural references, ensuring that his set would be remembered as one of the most compelling Super Bowl performances in recent years.
As the dust settles from the explosive halftime show, one thing is clear—Kendrick Lamar knows how to command the stage, send a message, and keep audiences talking long after the final note has been played. But Drake isn’t done, and this is far from over.
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