Kendrick Lamar Tremendous Bowl Halftime Display Overview: Maximum Hip-Hop in Historical past

As quickly because the NFL introduced Kendrick Lamar because the Tremendous Bowl LIX Halftime Display headliner, enthusiasts and haters alike started to surmise simply what the Compton MC would do with the ten to fifteen mins allocated to him. Would he take time to honor a few of rap legends who hailed from the Tremendous Bowl host town of New Orleans? A small contingent believed Lil Wayne must have got the faucet as a substitute of Lamar, so, some concept, possibly Lamar would carry out 504’s personal as a display of recognize.

Or would Lamar move the whole different route and take time to in point of fact support his pop-star bonafides through bringing out some pals who’re a lot more well-known than he’s? After finding out that Jack Antonoff helped to supply his newest album, GNX, some concept perhaps Taylor Swift would make her manner down from the Chiefs field to the sector. However, nah. What we were given as a substitute was once an unadulterated Kendrick Lamar display. This is to mention: Over 120 million other people have been handled to the primary ever actual and true rap live performance masquerading as a Tremendous Bowl Halftime Display.

All through his Apple Track interview with Ebro Darden and Nadeska Alexis, Lamar stated the entire luck of the previous yr was once “only a continuum of who I’m.” And for those who’ve in some way ignored out on what took place in rap in 2024, right here’s a snappy rundown: At the first of Long term and Metro Boomin’s two collaboration albums, Kendrick Lamar hopped on a tracked known as “Like That” and known as out Drake, and, to a lesser extent, J. Cole for claiming to be the most productive. The tune went No. 1 at the Billboard Sizzling 100 and reignited a protracted simmering pork with Drake that ended in over six diss tracks between the 2. The spotlight of the fight was once the DJ Mustard-produced “No longer Like Us,” which additionally went No. 1 at the Sizzling 100 and noticed Lamar cap off the meat with a fantastic West Coast-tinged birthday party observe that garnered him 5 Grammys.

However, as Kendrick stated, this was once only a continuum of who he’s. Virtually greater than some other rapper operating these days, Lamar embodies the ethos of hip-hop. He works to make each and every album and tune rely — ensuring they no longer most effective make a observation concerning the instances and the folk dwelling them, however say one thing other than those that got here prior to them. He realizes the facility of the placement he holds and tries to profit from the alternatives afforded to him. So it wasn’t a marvel to look Kendrick Lamar put at the maximum hip-hop halftime display we’ve ever noticed. Best Kendrick Lamar would get started a display at the largest degree on this planet with a verse from an unreleased tune, a verse that ended with him rapping, “the revolution about to be televised, you picked the appropriate time, however the unsuitable man,” a bar that provides a wink and a nod to the placement handy: Lamar being the primary rapper to headline the Tremendous Bowl Halftime Display on his personal.

After acting “Squabble Up,” Samuel L. Jackson, taking part in an Uncle Sam persona, chastised Lamar for making his efficiency “too ghetto” and requested him if he in point of fact knew “easy methods to play the sport.” The rapper spoke back through acting two of his different Sizzling 100 chart toppers, “Humble” and “DNA” prior to going directly into “Euphoria.”

The dialog main as much as the display was once whether or not or no longer Lamar would carry out “No longer Like Us.” Within the months since its liberate, Drake has sued Common Track Workforce — Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s file label — for allegedly defaming him through freeing and selling a tune that says he fraternizes with pedophiles. Only a few other people concept for a second that he would carry out “Euphoria,” in spite of the discharge achieving No. 3 at the Sizzling 100. However he did, with a gaggle of dancers stepping to impeccable choreography. From there he went right into a GNX medley together with “Guy on the Lawn” and “Peekaboo” prior to telling the target market, “I wish to carry out their favourite tune, however you recognize they like to sue” because the beat for “No longer Like Us” briefly pulsated out and in.

He took the temperature down through as a substitute going into his and SZA’s most up-to-date hit “Luther” from GNX, and their former hit “All of the Stars” from the Black Panther soundtrack. “Inform me what you long gone do to me, disagreement is not anything new to me,” he rapped prior to SZA belted the cinematic refrain. As that wrapped, Uncle Sam popped again up, happy that Lamar opted for a extra pop-oriented route. It was once then that Kendrick started to freestyle a call-and-response verse with one of the vital dancers asking him, “You in point of fact about to do it?” and Lamar answering, “They attempted to rig the sport, however you’ll’t pretend affect.”

Then, the instant tens of millions have been looking ahead to: Kendrick Lamar carried out “No longer Like Us” to over 100 million other people world wide. There was once so much to soak up as this was once all taking place: The dancers draped within the colours of the American flag all stepping in metronomic precision. The camerawork harking back to his “Pop Out” live performance from final yr. Serena Williams crip strolling. Or Lamar having a look immediately on the digicam as he rapped, “Say, Drake, I pay attention you favor ‘em younger.”  After months of hypothesis, it felt like a fantastic cap on a fantastic run that began just about a yr in the past.

Used to be it a great halftime efficiency? Possibly no longer. Regardless of him apparently rapping with no backing observe, taking part in a couple of of his chart-topping hits and bringing out a fellow chart-topper in SZA, the set would have benefited from an actual and true marvel — one thing that might have made even probably the most hardened Kendrick hater say “wow.” However even with out pulling a rabbit out of a hat, Kendrick Lamar controlled to tug of the rarest feat: He introduced an unfiltered hip-hop display to the Tremendous Bowl. Who is aware of after we’ll see one thing like this once more.