Internet Reacts To Kendrick Lamar’s Incredible Halftime Show

Yesterday was Tremendous Bowl Sunday, and yeah, the Philadelphia Eagles denied the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs a three-peat at profitable the largest soccer occasion of the 12 months. However sandwiched between the sport’s 4 quarters was a spectacular efficiency by rapper Kendrick Lamar. Lamar’s efficiency transcended sports activities circles and was the discuss of the web final night time. For many, it was a remaining nail within the coffin of the rapper’s highly-publicized beef with Canadian rapper Drake, nevertheless it additionally had a whole lot of commentary on the state of America, with President Donald Trump within the viewers.

Let’s get the collective cultural catharsis out of the best way first. The viral second of the present was Lamar performing his now five-time Grammy-winning music “Not Like Us.” The music is one in all many Lamar launched throughout a public feud with Drake again in 2024, and has develop into a cultural phenomenon. With over a billion streams and a number of clips of complete crowds performing it (together with the Grammy’s viewers), tens of millions of individuals are celebrating a music that accuses Drake of being a tradition vulture pedophile in reference to years of allegations of grooming younger girls within the leisure business. The music is a scathing diss by itself, however when it goes on to develop into a record-breaking, award-winning hit, that’s when you understand you’ve misplaced the rap battle.

Lamar’s efficiency of “Not Like Us” was an enormous second for the present in a couple of methods. On the midpoint of the present, Lamar had a short intermission with a few of the present’s dancers, throughout which he mentioned he needed to “carry out their favourite music, however you understand they like to sue,” whereas the instrumental “No Like Us” briefly performed. This was seemingly a reference to Drake’s a number of lawsuits concerning the music, and at first, it appeared to indicate that Lamar was barred from taking part in it on the present. He then transitioned right into a medley of “Luther” and “All of the Stars” that includes the stainless R&B singer SZA, my queen, and it appeared like that was it. Lamar would omit his greatest hit seemingly to keep away from additional controversy…till about three minutes later, when he went to talk along with his dancers yet another time, mentioned this was “greater than the music,” and that somebody “tried to rig the sport, however you may’t pretend affect.” Once more, this was seemingly about Drake’s lawsuit making an attempt to muzzle the music’s cultural impression.

Then he begins rapping and the gang goes wild. In Tremendous Bowl halftime exhibits, artists need to trim down their songs to perhaps a minute or two, and the part of “Not Like Us” Lamar selected to carry out is probably the most explicitly aimed toward Drake, even calling him out by title. One common meme is the purpose when Lamar seems into the digital camera with a devilish, shit-eating grin and says, “Hey Drake, I hear you want ‘em younger.” The phrase “pedophile” was not noted of the music, changed by a wordless shout within the stay present, however he nonetheless had your complete Caesars Superdome crowd singing alongside to, “Making an attempt to ring a bell and it’s in all probability A Minor.” Fatality.

Lamar’s cocky strut whereas he smiles into the digital camera turned an instantaneous meme, however your complete present was a victory lap in a year-long marketing campaign to bury Drake.

Hopefully not misplaced within the sauce is that this was additionally a commentary on the state of the US and its makes an attempt to silence Black voices. Samuel L. Jackson made a number of appearances in the course of the present because the U.S. propaganda character Uncle Sam. He begins off emphasizing that the Tremendous Bowl is “The Nice American Sport,” adopted by Lamar rapping the GNX teaser that was launched earlier than his newest album, however has but to be placed on streaming providers. Nevertheless, he included a brand new lyric: “The revolution about to be televised. You picked the correct time however the improper man.” This was seemingly a dig at fear-mongering President Donald Trump, who was within the viewers however left in the course of the second half.

Uncle Sam returns after Lamar performs “Squabble Up,” one in all his extra rap-heavy tracks, and calls it “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto.” Then Lamar’s dancers, wearing crimson, white and blue, organize themselves to appear to be the American flag whereas he raps. Uncle Sam exhibits up a couple of extra instances to berate Lamar for not taking part in up what America believes the Tremendous Bowl to be about. After the SZA medley, Sam seems yet another time to say that “good and calm” melodic songs are “what America desires.” He then proceeds to pull Drake throughout a whole soccer area. . As unbelievable because it was to see Drake get bodied on the largest stage attainable, this was a critique of the present state of America and the nation’s historical past of policing Black artwork and voices. Loads of followers are hoping the overarching message of the present isn’t misplaced.

Lamar has had an unbelievable 12 months and isn’t slowing down. Each he and SZA are making ready to embark on a co-headlining tour beginning in April, and after seeing this present I could be about to purchase tickets. Stream GNX and in addition SZA’s Lana.