Lamar Scores a Hip-Hop Touchdown at Super Bowl 2025

In the run-up to Sunday night’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show, the main topic of discussion was whether Kendrick Lamar would perform the song that was essentially the final blow in his months-long spat with Drake the previous year.

“Not Like Us” became a generational anthem and Lamar’s signature hit, winning Grammys for both song of the year and record one week ago.

Kendrick Lamar struck a chord at the Super Bowl, and it for sure wasn’t a minor, as his performance was far more action-packed than the game itself.

Amid the asymmetrical Super Bowl in which the Philadelphia Eagles crushed the Kansas City Chiefs, the hip-hop legend triumphed in his halftime concert at the Caesar Superdome in New Orleans.

To symbolize his equally asymmetrical battle with Drake, which was the focus of the halftime act, Lamar beautifully sported a diamond necklace around his neck with a lowercase “a.”

Kendrick began his Super Bowl halftime show by warning, “The revolution is about to be televised; you chose the wrong guy, but the right time.”

With SZA singing, Serena Williams performing a crip walk on the side, and Samuel L. Jackson portraying Uncle Sam, this halftime extravaganza had it all.

Did Lamar Call Drake a Pedophile on National TV?

Regarding Kendrick Lamar’s biggest hit, the main topic was “Will he or will he not?” In front of 100 million people, would he do “Not Like Us” and accuse Drake of being a pedophile?

The answer was yes and no, as he sang “Not Like Us” but omitted the phrase “certified pedophile.”

He served a mix of songs, such as “Humble,” “DNA,” “Euphoria,” and “Man at the Garden,” and with the lights completely down with a group of dancers in red, white, and blue, Lamar focused entirely on music.

“Salutations!” Samuel L. Jackson, wearing a top hat, declared at the beginning. “This is your Uncle Sam. And this is the great American game!”

Samuel L. Jackson was present throughout the act to correct him during “Squabble Up” to admonish him. “No no no!” he yelled.

“Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto! Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game? Then tighten up!”

The One Surprise at the Super Bowl Halftime Show

There was one very special surprise for Kendrick Lamar’s fans and viewers worldwide during his Super Bowl Halftime Show performance.

Lamar, a native of Compton, California, added a final stroke to his performance by introducing Serena Williams, another Compton native.

Rumors about a possible affair between Serena and Drake first surfaced in 2011, as her name was mentioned in numerous tracks by him. He also made appearances at several tennis tournaments where she participated.

In 2013, Drake rapped about her in his track “Worst Behavior,” where he referenced their relationship.

“I’m with my whole set, tennis matches at the crib / I swear I could beat Serena when she playing with her left,” he said.

Later, in his 2017 “Nothings Into Somethings,” Drake talks about an ex moving on without giving closure. Serena married Alexis Ohanian in 2017, making fans speculate that the song was about her.

When Lamar performed his song “Not Like Us,” a diss track from his feud with Canadian rapper Drake, Williams arrived and began dancing.

Social media went into a frenzy when they saw Williams crip walking on a stage that size.

One user said, ‘Every time I watch Kendrick I get inspired to be a bigger hater. Him having Serena Williams dancing to a diss track of Drake knowing Serena history with Drake is diabolical. Truly inspiring stuff.’