Kendrick Lamar, a standout success at last week’s Grammys, announced yesterday that fans can anticipate a “storytelling” experience during the weekend Super Bowl halftime show.
Lamar will perform the halftime show at Sunday’s clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, with SZA as a special guest.
Last Sunday at the Grammys, he achieved a complete triumph, winning in all five categories he was nominated for: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, and Best Music Video.
“I think I’ve always been very open about storytelling through my catalog and history of music … I always like to carry on that sense of people listening but also thinking,” he said in an interview ahead of the NFL’s season finale.
Lamar never envisioned performing at the Super Bowl when he began his career. In 2022, he participated as a featured performer in a hip-hop showcase, but this upcoming event will mark his debut as a headliner.
“I wasn’t thinking about no Super Bowl — I was thinking about the best verse… It wasn’t no Super Bowl,” he said.
“What I know is the passion I have now is still the passion I had then.”
The question remains if Lamar will perform his Grammy-winning diss track, “Not Like Us.” This track is part of an ongoing feud with fellow rapper Drake, who has recently faced legal challenges.
He did not address that issue directly but said he was “just thinking about the culture.”
Lamar unveiled Not Like Us in May 2024, the fifth track in a series of songs critiquing the Canadian rapper, released just hours after his earlier single, Meet the Grahams.
Not Like Us, a groundbreaking streaming sensation soared to the top of the charts. It rapidly became a West Coast rap anthem, cherished for its powerful bass line, rhythmic strings, and distinct enunciation.
