Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show: 3 Hits, 1 Miss

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Kendrick Lamar’s half-time show carried immense anticipation due to his numerous Grammy victories and rivalry with rap titan Drake. This year has been quite a rollercoaster ride for K-Dot, which was clearly reflected in his energetic performance that included SZA and others. Without a doubt, this spectacle will be the most highly anticipated television event in 2025.

Despite some artists like Lil Wayne feeling slighted for not getting a chance to perform in New Orleans, Kendrick Lamar maintained his composure and concentrated on putting on an exceptional show. Mostly, I believe he succeeded in this endeavor, but there was one aspect where I felt it could have been stronger.

I Loved Samuel L. Jackson Bringing The Right Energy As “Uncle Sam”

At the 2025 Apple Music Halftime Show, the unexpected twist came when Kendrick Lamar brought Samuel L. Jackson onto the stage as “Uncle Sam,” lending a hand with the narration and smoothing transitions between songs. The patriotic attire Jackson wore coordinated beautifully with the dance performance, injecting an artistic touch to a show that was comparatively less visually extravagant than previous years. I found it particularly noteworthy and appreciated the unique blend of styles.

Kendrick Couldn’t Rap All Of “Not Like Us” Himself, But The Crowd Helped Him Out

It’s unclear if Drake’s recent court case was the reason or not, but Kendrick Lamar hesitated to label his rap adversary a “verified pedophile” during a live TV appearance. Luckily, the audience didn’t share his reservations, and they enthusiastically sang the hit song of last summer, with the “A Minor” verse being particularly loud and clear on aircast.

During the performance, it’s uncertain whether Drake’s Certified Lover Boy was there to watch or not, but his legal team likely paid close attention and we’ll have to wait and see if they decide to take any additional steps based on what they observed.

Ending On “TV Off” Was Just As Hype As I Hoped

Instead of “Not Like Us” being the standout Grammy-winning sensation in pop culture, it seems clear that its latest release, “TV Off”, was the anthem that built the most excitement as a conclusion. I had anticipated it would be the final track, but considering the buzz surrounding the Drake diss, I worried it might not maintain the same intensity as a follow-up. To my delight, I was proven wrong and found it made for an ideal finale to a strong performance.

My One Gripe: I Think Kendrick Could’ve Featured More Artists And Classic Hits

It’s clear to me that Kendrick Lamar aims to showcase numerous tracks from his newest album, GNX. However, during the performance, I noticed an inconsistency compared to some of his iconic songs from years past. While we enjoyed the well-known tunes like those from DNA and the Black Panther soundtrack, I, as a fan, was disappointed that classics like “A.D.H.D”, “Collard Greens”, or “Backseat Freestyle” were not included in the performance.

Title suggestion for the article: “Guide on How to Catch Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s Super Bowl 2025 Halftime Show Live Stream from Any Location, Absolutely Free

Instead of SZA, I was expecting collaborations with rappers like ScHoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Future, The Weeknd in this show. To be clear, I knew Taylor Swift wasn’t performing “Bad Blood,” but it felt let down to see the performances lacking those surprise guest appearances, as we’ve seen from past artists.

Despite my bias as a long-term fan, I would still place Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance among one of the best I’ve ever witnessed. However, Usher set an extremely high bar in the previous year, and I believe that Kendrick surpassed it. I’m eager to hear your thoughts on this.

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2025-02-10 05:37