No one — not the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs or the Philadelphia Eagles — had extra momentum going into the 2025 Tremendous Bowl than Kendrick Lamar.
Positive, the Chiefs are up for a historic three-peat tonight, however Lamar’s week has already been a profitable one. He took house 5 huge awards on the 2025 Grammys on Sunday, together with Music and Report of the 12 months, for his ubiquitous anthem “Not Like Us,” establishing his halftime present efficiency to be the final word victory lap. It was one factor to see the complete Crypto.com Area shouting “It was in all probability A MINOOOR;” The entire Superdome doing it will be the cherry on high.
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However even the cultural and institutional recognition of “Not Like Us” doesn’t fairly sum up how cool it’s to have Lamar headline one of many largest reveals on the planet. For over a decade, King Kendrick has straddled the worlds of pop stardom, vital adoration, and underground respect. “Not Like Us,” with its pop-laced poise and thorough, downright-scholarly character assassination, epitomizes this distinctive place. Lamar’s unwillingness to compromise his creative ambitions whereas additionally making joyous, unforgettable hit songs proves he’s greater than deserving of a stage this huge.
Kendrick Lamar’s Full Tremendous Bowl Halftime Present efficiency #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/OxZED0YXDn
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The large query earlier than Lamar took the stage, nonetheless, was which of these hit songs he’d bust out. Again in his 2022 efficiency, the place he appeared alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and a number of other extra, Lamar gave a rousing renditions of “M.A.A.D Metropolis” and “Alright” to pay tribute to his hometown. With New Orleans because the backdrop this time round, it felt like Lamar would preserve his setlist much less targeted on his previous and upbringing and extra on his latest catalogue. Perhaps some O.G. followers would have most well-liked a nod to Good Child, M.A.A.D Metropolis, To Pimp a Butterfly, or perhaps a brief reference to Part. 80 (The beat drop in “A.D.H.D” would have killed!), however alas; Kendrick was extra intent on celebrating his work from DAMN. onwards for his halftime present efficiency.
He took the stage proper subsequent to the identical Buick proven on the album cowl for GNX, which turned a literal clown automotive as dozens of background dancers poured out. His correct opener was an electrifying rendition of “squabble up,” proving our predictions right. In the meantime, he was launched (and constantly motivated) by Samuel L. Jackson dressed as Uncle Sam, who functioned as a little bit of an emcee and religious information via the efficiency.
Virtually like one other big-budget NFL halftime present just lately, he undoubtedly imbued his efficiency with some sturdy undertones of an Americana-style aesthetic whereas additionally bending these pictures right into a extra personalised, shapeshifting presentation. The dancers instantly assembled into an American flag formation on “HUMBLE.” earlier than devolving into the blue-and-red plenty we noticed within the “Not Like Us” video. The way in which the crew of background dancers huddled round a streetlight for “man on the backyard” made it really feel like Kendrick was headlining a West Facet Story revival, the tense pulsations behind him evoking the nervy vitality of a battle rally.