At the 2025 Super Bowl, Kendrick Lamar performed during halftime of the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles game. 133.5 million people tuned into Lamar’s performance, making it the most-viewed halftime show and Lamar the only solo rapper ever to perform at the Super Bowl. 

Kendrick Lamar is a 22-time Grammy winner and a one-time Pulitzer Prize winner for his album Damn. Lamar is well known for his observations on street culture, racism, crimes, generational trauma, and homelessness he experienced growing up. Lamar did a surprise release of his sixth album, GNX, in November 2024, with songs “Luther,” “Squabble Up,” “Peekaboo,” and “GNX,” appearing at his Super Bowl show. 

Lamar’s halftime performance had a more significant meaning, connecting to the experience of Black men in America. As Lamar began his show, he stated, “The revolution ‘bout to be televised; you picked the right time but the wrong guy,” mentioning the attendance of President Trump in the audience. During the performance, background dancers dressed in red, white, and blue represented the American Flag. “It’s a cultural divide, I’mma gets it on the floor. 40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music.” “40 acres and a mule” refers to reparations Black freed families were promised at the end of slavery but never received. One of Lamar’s main goals was to highlight the injustices Black Americans have faced and continue to face. Lamar’s halftime show was memorable, to say the least, full of historical, political, and thought-provoking moments. 

Three major celebrity guests appeared during Lamar’s halftime show: Samuel L. Jackson, SZA, and Serena Williams. 

Samuel L. Jackson made an impactful appearance at Lamar’s halftime performance, saying, “Salutations, it’s your Uncle Sam, and this is the great American game.” Jackson’s performance as Uncle Sam came with much controversy because he remarked on the state of America. “That’s what America wants! Nice and calm, you’re almost there, don’t miss this” and “ghetto” as a response to Republican Louisiana lawmakers who said the halftime show would be “lewd.”  

The popular singer SZA made a quick guest debut at Lamar’s halftime show to perform “Luther” from GNX and “All the Stars” from Black Panther: The Album. SZA took to Instagram the next day writing, “THANK YOU @kendricklamar for consistently putting the world on your back. At all times,” after news had struck that Lamar’s halftime performance was being received poorly. 

Serena Williams was one of Lamar’s famous guests on stage. While performing “Not Like Us” (Lamar’s famous diss track targeting Drake) the camera panned to Williams dancing for less than five seconds. Williams is known for being Drake’s ex-girlfriend, creating songs “Worst Behavior” and “Middle of the Ocean” after their relationship. The dance Williams performed was called crimp walking. The creation of the dance is from Compton, California, where both Lamar and Williams are natives. 

One of the most famous moments was when Lamar alluded to Drake during his Super Bowl performance of “Not Like Us.” 

The song “Not Like Us,” released by Lamar, seemingly dropped hits that he was mentioning Drake. With lyrics “Say Drake, I hear you like ‘em young. You better not ever go to cell block one. To any girl that talks to him and they in love, just make sure you hide your lil’ sister from him.” One of the most famous lyrics being, “Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles.” Many rap fans connected the dots and figured Lamar was bashing Drake for his comment “a great friend and a great role model,” about Milly Bobby Brown in 2018. During the performance, Lamar also brought up the lawsuit made by Drake over “Not Like Us,” with “I want to perform their favorite  song, but you know they love to sue.” 

Rapper Drake filed a lawsuit on January 15, 2025, against his record label, Universal Music Group (UMG) for defamation and harassment over “Not Like Us.” Drake’s legal team stated that UMG, “approved, published, and launched a campaign to create a viral hit out of a rap track that falsely accuses Drake of being a pedophile and calls for violent retribution against him.” The lawsuit is not filed against Lamar but at UMG for publishing and monetizing a song that, “were not only false, but dangerous.” As of writing this, there is no final answer to the case. 

The New Orleans Super Bowl halftime show by Kendrick Lamar was one for the books and will be remembered for centuries to come.