Yesterday was Tremendous Bowl Sunday, and yeah, the Philadelphia Eagles denied the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs a three-peat at successful the largest soccer occasion of the yr. 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 speak of the web final evening. For many, it was a remaining nail within the coffin of the rapper’s highly-publicized beef with Canadian rapper Drake, however it additionally had quite a 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 tune “Not Like Us.” The tune is certainly one of many Lamar launched throughout a public feud with Drake again in 2024, and has grow to be a cultural phenomenon. With over a billion streams and a number of clips of complete crowds performing it (together with the Grammy’s viewers), thousands and thousands of persons are celebrating a tune that accuses Drake of being a tradition vulture pedophile in reference to years of allegations of grooming younger girls within the leisure trade. The tune is a scathing diss by itself, however when it goes on to grow to be a record-breaking, award-winning hit, that’s when you recognize you’ve misplaced the rap battle.
Lamar’s efficiency of “Not Like Us” was a giant second for the present in a couple of methods. On the midpoint of the present, Lamar had a quick intermission with a few of the present’s dancers, throughout which he stated he needed to “carry out their favourite tune, however you recognize they like to sue,” whereas the instrumental “No Like Us” briefly performed. This was seemingly a reference to Drake’s a number of lawsuits relating to the tune, 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 largest hit seemingly to keep away from additional controversy…till about three minutes later, when he went to talk together with his dancers another time, stated this was “larger than the music,” and that somebody “tried to rig the sport, however you possibly can’t faux affect.” Once more, this was seemingly about Drake’s lawsuit attempting to muzzle the tune’s cultural influence.
Then he begins rapping and the gang goes wild. In Tremendous Bowl halftime exhibits, artists must 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 geared toward Drake, even calling him out by identify. One common meme is the purpose when Lamar appears into the digital camera with a devilish, shit-eating grin and says, “Hey Drake, I hear you want ‘em younger.” The phrase “pedophile” was ignored of the tune, changed by a wordless shout within the dwell present, however he nonetheless had all the Caesars Superdome crowd singing alongside to, “Making an attempt to ring a bell and it’s most likely A Minor.” Fatality.
Lamar’s cocky strut whereas he smiles into the digital camera grew to become an instantaneous meme, however all the 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 america and its makes an attempt to silence Black voices. Samuel L. Jackson made a number of appearances through 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 companies. Nonetheless, he included a brand new lyric: “The revolution about to be televised. You picked the fitting time however the mistaken man.” This was seemingly a dig at fear-mongering President Donald Trump, who was within the viewers however left through the second half.
Uncle Sam returns after Lamar performs “Squabble Up,” certainly one of 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 another time to say that “good and calm” melodic songs are “what America needs.” He then proceeds to tug Drake throughout a complete soccer discipline. . As unimaginable because it was to see Drake get bodied on the largest stage potential, 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 unimaginable yr and isn’t slowing down. Each he and SZA are getting ready to embark on a co-headlining tour beginning in April, and after seeing this present I may be about to purchase tickets. Stream GNX and in addition SZA’s Lana.
