Kendrick Lamar made history as the first solo rapper to headline the Super Bowl LIX halftime show, and NBA legend Magic Johnson was all for it. The 17-time Grammy winner delivered a powerful set featuring a mix of his greatest hits and recent releases, including HUMBLE., All the Stars, Not Like Us—which recently earned him five Grammy Awards—DNA, and Man at the Garden.
Adding to the spectacle, SZA, Serena Williams, and Samuel L. Jackson made special appearances, with Jackson portraying “Uncle Sam” in what appeared to be a deeper social commentary. Something Lamar often weaves into his performances. To show his support, Johnson took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and praised the show, writing, “Kendrick Lamar brought the house down tonight in his half time performance! I loved his song selection and the production was amazing! Sza sounded great and I loved seeing my friend Serena Williams and my good friend Samuel L. Jackson as “Uncle Sam”!”
Lamar’s performance also comes amid his ongoing rivalry with Drake, one of hip-hop’s biggest feuds in recent years. Many fans believe Lamar’s choice to perform Not Like Us was more than just a set list decision. It was a statement, and a shot at Drake in-front of 65,000 people.
However, while Magic Johnson and many others praised Lamar’s performance, many fans took to social media to express their disappointment.
Fans divided over Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance
While his show received high praise from many, fans were divided. With some calling it a masterpiece and others feeling underwhelmed. One fan, who wasn’t impressed with the sound mix, wrote, “it was horrible. sound mix was bad and you could not even hear him. Just boring.” Whereas, another fan pointed out that there have been better performances and wrote, “We have had better performances. Loved Michael Jackson!”
Furthermore, another also questioned the song choices and wrote, “I hated it. Most of America didn’t know the songs and no one understood the words. I guess you were the target audience.”
However, Lamar’s supporters came to his defense, praising the artistry and impact of the show. A fan wrote, “Absolutely brilliant performance by Kendrick 💯.” While another fan claimed that this performance will be talked about for years to come and wrote, “Definitely on my personal Top 5 Best halftime shows. Kendrick Halftime will be talked about for years 👏.”
Read More: Drake Calls Out LeBron James With ‘Nonstop’ Lyric Change at Perth Concert
Anyhow, love it or hate it, Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance left its mark—and the debate isn’t ending anytime soon.
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