Introduced by Samuel L. Jackson in an Uncle Sam outfit, Kendrick Lamar blazed through his back catalog and tracks from his latest release, GNX, at the Super Bowl in New Orleans — and after multiple teases, launched into part of his Drake-savaging hit “Not Like Us.” He skipped the word “pedophile,” but the entire stadium roared when he rapped the “a minor” double entendre. When Lamar got to the line “say, Drake, I heard you like ’em young,” he looked directly into the camera and smiled right after saying his rival’s name.
At first, Lamar merely hinted at the intro of “Not Like Us,” with SZA (who dropped some new songs during the game) joining him for “Luther” and “All the Stars” instead. “I wanna perform they favorite song,” Lamar said, “but you know they love to sue.” His set also touched on “Squabble Up,” “Humble.,” “DNA.,” “Man at the Garden,” and “Peekaboo,” and “TV Off.” Serena Williams made a cameo, dancing during “Not Like Us” — a pointed moment in light of rumors that she and Drake once dated — and producer DJ Mustard popped up holding a football during “TV Off.” At one point, during “Humble,” Lamar’s all-Black crew of back-up dancers, dressed in red, white and blue, formed a human U.S. flag.
The performance, backed by dancers who emerged from an actual Buick GNX parked onstage, punctuated a banner year for Kendrick after his verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That” set off a momentous beef with Drake. September’s Super Bowl performance announcement followed his five-song decimation of Drake, which culminated in the record-breaking “Not Like Us.” The DJ Mustard-produced instant classic broke numerous Spotify records, staying at Number One on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks as well as a record 21 weeks on the Hot Rap Songs chart.
The song’s success played a part in Jay-Z and Roc Nation choosing Lamar for the coveted slot. Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez recently told NOLA.com, “Kendrick is the right person for the show at this moment,” adding, “He’s had an incredible year, very deserving of the attention.”
She also revealed New Orleans native Lil Wayne was “in consideration” as well for the halftime performance. Shortly after the announcement, Wayne expressed that he was “broken” when he wasn’t selected, which caused Kendrick to rhyme, “Used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud/ Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down” on “Wacced Out Murals” from his GNX album. Wayne seemingly responded with an X post noting, “I shall destroy if disturbed,” but the two have since cleared the air, with Wayne encouraging him to “kill it.”
Last week, “Not Like Us” swept the Grammys, becoming the most-awarded rap song at the prestigious showcase with five nods, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Fans can look forward to hearing “Not Like Us” and other songs Lamar performed tonight on his Grand National Tour with SZA. The trek launches April 19 in Minneapolis and will wrap on June 18 in Washington, D.C.
