Rapper Kendrick Lamar has stormed the stage at Ceasars Superdrome for the Super Bowl halftime show in the US. The Humble rapper, 37, performed at the prestigious halftime show at the Super Bowl in New Orleans. The much anticipated performance has left fans questioning if he will perform his controversial song, Not Like Us, which is a diss track at rapper Drake. Loud cheers from the crowd could be heard as Kendrick teased the track and swiped at Drake's lawsuit against his record label – before going on to perform the song.
In the tune, Kendrick brands the Hotline Bling hitmaker of being a "certified paedophile" – a lyric which he opted to leave out for the live performance. The song became the most decorated song in Grammy Awards earlier this month thanks to the diss track winning Kendrick five gongs. The halftime show was watched by millions of music and sport fans at home while a number of celebrities had headed to the stadium in New Orleans including Jay Z, Taylor Swift and Ice Spice are all in attendance. Huge Hollywood star Samuel L Jackson introduced Kendrick to the stage as he dressed as Uncle Sam. Meanwhile, SZA performed alongside Kendrick and Serena Williams made a cameo appearance for the halftime show.
He kicked off the performance with Squabble Up before going into HUBMLE. Kendrick's dancers dressed in all red, white and blue outfits to replicate the American flag while the rapper dressed in blue jeans, a baseball cap and a leather football-style jacket. However, as he performed across the field, fans complained they couldn't hear him. One wrote on X: "Kendrick’s mic being quieter than everything else is really putting a damper on this performance.".
Another added: "They need to raise Kendrick’s mic volume lol," while a third added: "My TV on 60 & I’m still having a hard time hearing Kendrick. They need to turn up the mic or something idk". Despite the apparent sound issues, Kendrick's performance was lapped up by fans as one said: "Not going to lie Kendrick Lamar’s performance brought me to tears. I’ve been such a huge fan for so long and the whole production was beautiful." Another added: "THIS MAN KENDRICK LAMAR JUST SMILED IN THE CAMERA AFTER COOKING DRAKE LMFAOOOOOO". And a thid said: "Kendrick Lamar and the whole #SuperBowl stadium screaming “A MINOR”".
The rapper has spent months preparing for the performance, which is billed as one of the biggest gigs of the year in the US – with Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna and Usher all taking to the stage to entertain Super Bowl fans in the past. As Kendrick was announced as this year's Super Bowl halftime headliner, he said in a statement: "Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date. And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one.".
Despite the opportunity being one of the most sought after for US musicians, Kendrick won't be paid for the privilege. But the attention the gig, which is watched by fans worldwide, makes it one of the most-wanted opportunities for performers. "We do not pay the artists," an NFL spokesperson told Forbes in 2016. "We cover expenses and production costs." The performance lasts between 12 and 15 minutes while halftime lasts around 30 minutes – giving event organisers 15 minutes to set up the stage for the gig.
