As a part of our "Essays" section,
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This year, the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show was much anticipated after announcing Kendrick Lamar as the performer. This Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper is known for his innovation in musicality and lyricism with multiple award-winning songs and performances.
This year specifically he showcased his mastery of music in his rap battle against Drake, another famous rapper. After many songs firing at each other, Lamar released his hit song “Not Like Us,” seemingly ending the feud. The song was fiery, calling out Drake for rumored crimes and not holding back. This song went on to win five GRAMMYs this past week.
Lamar did not stop there. He used the Super Bowl as a way to finalize his feud with Drake. Not only did he give a show-stopping performance of “Not Like Us,” but he performed alongside two of Drake’s exes.
During his performance of “Not Like Us,” Lamar made sure to make his performance directed to Drake. During the infamous line, “Hey Drake” he directed that at the camera with a giant smirk before stating “I hear you like em’ young.” Many fans loved this iconic moment.
To top it off though, the performance showcased SZA and Serena Williams, both of which are Drake’s rumored exes. The musician SZA was rumored to date Drake from 2008 to 2009 and seemed to have confirmed this in Drake’s song “Mr. Right Now.” Serena Williams, the famous tennis player, dated Drake in 2015.
Lamar did not stop there with his performance. The musician is often known to have messages encoded into his performances, and fans picked up on his political agenda with this performance. This received a lot of attention, considering President Donald Trump was at the Super Bowl and watched his directed performance.
The political and cultural significance guided Kendrick’s performance. He referenced injustices and sparks of revolution multiple times. For example, he changed his lyrics to “Forty acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music. Yeah, they tried to rig the game, but you can’t fake influence,” referencing Field Order No.15.
Samuel L. Jackson played Uncle Sam in this performance. He narrated throughout the performance and even reprimanded Kendrick by stating, “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto.” Lamar was also shown standing between a broken American flag. Overall, Lamar used his art to showcase his stance on the prejudice African American people continue to face.
One of the fan-favorite moments was SZA being featured in this performance. The two together sang “luther” and “All The Stars.” She walked out confidently and her beautiful voice translated so well on the massive stage.
Lamar’s performance at the Super Bowl halftime show was more than just a show — it was art. It was not just about the songs and the production, but advocating for his agenda. Additionally, he was able to support SZA a rising star.
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