Forward of Kendrick Lamar’s Tremendous Bowl halftime present, the rapper teased that the efficiency would come with “storytelling.”
“I feel I’ve all the time been very open about storytelling via, via all my catalog and my historical past of music, and I’ve all the time had a ardour about bringing that on no matter stage I am on,” he advised Apple Music throughout a pre-Tremendous Bowl press convention.
His halftime present did simply that. All through the 12-minute efficiency, Lamar, 37, introduced out SZA, Samuel L. Jackson and Serena Williams. He additionally nodded to his ongoing feud with Drake, which has reached a fever pitch due to Lamar’s Grammy-winning diss observe “Not Like Us.”
Mustard, who produced “Not Like Us,” additionally made an look onstage — which featured the shapes from a Ps controller’s buttons.
Listed below are the Easter eggs that formed Lamar’s efficiency on the Caesar Superdome on Feb. 9.
The GNX Album Cowl
Proper initially of his efficiency, Lamar recreates the album cowl for GNX as he sits on high of a restricted version submodel of the Buick Regal muscle automobile’s hood. The kind of automobile is reportedly what Lamar’s dad drove him residence in from the hospital when he was born.
Serena Williams’ Shock Look
Tennis celebrity Serena Willams — who additionally occurs to be Drake’s ex — made a shock look through the halftime present. She danced the crip stroll, a dance transfer from the Nineteen Seventies made well-known by the Los Angeles Crips.
Williams’ dance referred to as again to her on-court celebration in 2012 after she beat Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon. She confronted important backlash, with many critics calling it inappropriate whereas others got here to her protection, calling the criticism pointless.
Williams, 43, addressed the incident on Feb. 9. “Man, I didn’t crip stroll like that at Wimbledon. Ooh, I might’ve been fined,” she mentioned in a video shared on X.
Lamar and Williams are each natives of Compton. He even mentions her in “Not Like Us,” rapping: “higher not converse on Serena.” One fan referred to as her cameo “diabolical.”
Drake’s Connection to SZA
SZA often collaborates with Lamar and is happening tour with him later this yr. Nevertheless, her look additionally connects her to Drake, 38. They dated in 2009 and collaborated on a track in 2023 referred to as “Slime You Out.”
Drake namedropped SZA in 2020 within the track “Mr. Proper Now.” Yeah, mentioned she wanna f— to some SZA, wait / ‘Trigger I used so far SZA again in ’08,” he raps within the observe. “If you happen to cool with it, child, she will be able to nonetheless play / Whereas I leap inside that field and have a discipline day.”
SZA, 35, mirrored on their relationship in a 2023 interview with Rolling Stone. “We had been actually younger,” she mentioned on the time. “It wasn’t scorching and heavy or something. It was like youth vibes. It was so infantile.”
Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam
The Pulp Fiction actor, 76, served because the emcee for Lamar’s efficiency as “Uncle Sam,” wearing a patriotic go well with and high hat. Jackson’s position within the halftime present was to offer commentary and information Lamar’s efficiency to be acceptable.
At one level after Lamar rapped “Squabble Up,” Jackson antagonized him, maybe referring to a letter Louisiana lawmakers wrote, asking Lamar to maintain his halftime present “household pleasant” after earlier “lewd” and “offensive” reveals.
“Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto,” he mentioned. “Mr. Lamar, do you actually know play the sport? Then tighten up!” Lamar responds by not difficult Uncle Sam however by delivering all through the efficiency. As soon as SZA comes out, their section of “Luther” and “All of the Stars” are “calm,” mentioned Jackson, briefly satisfying him.
“Thats what America needs! Good and calm. You are virtually there, do not mess this… ” Jackson says earlier than Lamar launches into “Not Like Us.” Jackson’s defeated Uncle Sam then exits the Caesars Superdome stage.
“You Know They Love To Sue”
Earlier than performing the Grammy-winning track, Lamar mentioned, “I wish to play their favourite track, however you recognize they like to sue,” with the track’s riff taking part in briefly. Lamar is probably going referring to the lawsuit Drake filed his and Lamar’s document label, Common Music Group, alleging defamation for Lamar accusing Drake of “being a pedophile” in “Not Like Us.”
Based on court docket paperwork obtained by ipromiseyoumedia that had been filed in January, Drake alleged that UMG “authorised, revealed, and launched a marketing campaign to create a viral hit out of a rap observe that falsely accuses Drake of being a pedophile and requires violent retribution in opposition to him.”
The paperwork claimed that the label “repeatedly defamed Drake whereas ‘exploiting’ and ‘monetizing’ his work” by releasing “Not Like Us.” UMG denied the allegations.
When Lamar ultimately did rap “Not Like Us,” he minimize these specific lyrics for the published.
American Flag Dance Formation
The dancers carrying crimson, white and blue costumes had been key in creating imagery for Lamar’s halftime present. At one level, they create the American flag within the formation surrounding the rapper. One on-line consumer posited that this picture feedback on how America was “constructed on the backs of Black folks.”
At one level, the dancers additionally turned away from one another, making a divide the place Lamar stood.
Ps Controller Stage Setup
At a pair factors through the efficiency, the cameras panned out to indicate the stage, which featured shapes one may discover on a Ps online game controller.
Ps is owned by SONY — the identical firm that owns Drake’s label, UMG. The stands additionally lit up with “GAME OVER” on the finish of the present as if to place the nail within the proverbial coffin of his beef with Drake. Are issues including up but?
A Minor Necklace
Followers speculated that his necklace that includes a lowercase “A” was in reference to the “Not Like Us” lyric: “Tryna ring a bell and it is in all probability A-minor.”
