endrick Lamar knows how to make history, even when it is the last thing on his mind. What is on his mind is pushing rap and hip-hop culture forward. He has done so through his albums, performances, and collaborations. But when you piss off the man, you cannot win the battle.
A case in point is Drake, whose lyrically weak diss songs against Lamar inspired him to write a track that became the biggest hit of his career. Yes, I’m talking about the monumental, game-changing (diss) song, ‘Not Like Us’.
The song is so wildly popular that Lamar walked away with multiple Grammys in 2025, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. For once, the Grammys got it right.
How this beef started between the two rappers is a story for another time. But let’s just say that when you go after a man’s family — and if that man is Kendrick Lamar — you will end up becoming the next Drake.
Anyway, he was the obvious choice to headline the Super Bowl Halftime Show LIX. But this was no ordinary show. It is the most-watched event of the year, and if you mess it up, it will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
Now, you might be wondering: didn’t he perform just a few years ago with a star-studded line-up featuring Dr. Dre, Mary. J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and 50 Cent? Yes, but here’s the difference: one, he performed a medley of just two songs, and two, he shared the stage with multiple major artists, including a Caucasian rapper.
To headline a show where Lamar was the main artist — and where those who joined him as guests were handpicked by the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper — was historic. This was representation of what Black artists can do.
The electric jam
Fantastic sets and brilliant choreography are as much a part of a Super Bowl performance as the act itself. There’s a reason why Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s Super Bowl performance is still so popular — outshining the likes of Rihanna and many others.
Lamar knew this. He knew that this was the biggest stage he had ever performed on, and he needed to bring his A-game. So, while Lamar did not opt for elaborate sets, the dancers, clad in red, white, and blue colours as an ode to the American flag, were brilliant to watch. Every move was choreographed to elevate the overall performance.
Lamar, known for his street-style dancing, matched their energy with confidence. He has done it in music videos, and he did it here with grit.
But the best part was not just the medley of songs he chose to perform; it was also the guests who joined him.
Samuel L. Jackson, dressed as Uncle Sam and representing the government, was a powerful piece of iconography. Watching the performance several times reveals a deep commentary: rap is as much a part of American music as other genres like pop. Black artists matter. This was a night when Black identity, fittingly during Black History Month, took centre stage. As Uncle Sam, Samuel L. Jackson noted, “You, Mr. Lamar, are too loud, too reckless.”
But Black artists do matter, and Lamar proved just how much.
The setlist was exciting. The opening track was an unknown song, during which Lamar rapped an unforgettable line: “The revolution about to be televised, you picked the right time but the wrong guy.” He followed it up with ‘Squabble Up’, the first single from his new album GNX. He even brought the car from the GNX album cover to the stage.
Just when you thought, “Okay, what will he do next from such a mammoth discography?” Lamar swiftly transitioned from ‘Squabble Up’ to ‘Humble’ and ‘DNA’
— both from his critically and commercially acclaimed album, Damn.
The first diss track he performed (much to my delight) was ‘Euphoria’, followed by ‘Man at the Garden’ and ‘Peekaboo’ — lesser-known tracks from GNX. But because Lamar is a top-tier writer, the medley was absolutely blistering. When he finally performed ‘Not Like Us’, the crowd erupted in cheers — anyone and everyone who enjoys music was living in the moment.
Surprising the crowd, he switched to ‘Luther’, a collaboration between SZA and Lamar from GNX, followed by their duet, ‘All the Stars’ from the Black Panther soundtrack. But Lamar has a knack for doing the unexpected thing.
During his ‘Not Like Us’ performance, he brought out the legendary tennis superstar Serena Williams.
The moment was truly iconic. Serena Williams — who was once pursued by Drake like a “puppy dog” but ultimately married someone else — had been dissed by the rapper who called her husband a “groupie”, to which her husband famously responded that “he would always be a groupie for his wife.” Aww.
Back to the present: as Lamar performed ‘Not Like Us’, Serena Williams took the stage and executed a scene-stealing C-walk (also known as the Crip-walk). It was a full-circle moment — Williams, a fellow Compton native like Lamar, had done the same dance after winning her 2012 Olympic gold medal at Wimbledon, besting Maria Sharapova.
When Serena Williams was seen by the world grooving to this song, the internet blew up with reactions: “OMGs” and “Did she diss Drake on a national platform?”
Yup, she did. And it was glorious.
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