Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Halftime Show Was Forgettable—It Should’ve Been Historic
After sparking an unforgettable year in Hip-Hop, the Compton rapper took music's biggest stage and delivered a lackluster performance.
WHEN hip-hop artist Kendrick Lamar—fresh off five Grammy wins just a week ago—opened his Super Bowl Halftime Show on Sunday, he kicked things off with a bold monologue: “The revolution [is] about to be televised. You picked the right time but the wrong guy.”
In March 2024, Lamar sparked a feud with hip-hop heavyweights Drake and J. Cole—an event briefly chronicled here—that sent shockwaves through the rap industry. From the moment the first diss track dropped, nothing was the same for the rest of the year. In a battle for the throne and the title of “greatest rapper alive,” the industry descended into chaos: diss tracks flew, friendships shattered, a new East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry simmered, lawsuits piled up, and the rap world united against one central figure—Drake. It was hip-hop’s version of a season of Game of Thrones, and every artist played their role to perfection.
When the dust settled, Lamar stood victorious. In November 2024, he dropped his sixth studio album, GNX, bookending a year-long masterclass in lyricism and war-like strategy as he went toe-to-toe with Drake. His Twitter/𝕏 archive remains a living time capsule—documenting a cultural flashpoint and reminding the world what each track meant in hip-hop’s most unforgettable year.
But when Lamar needed to deliver a masterclass—the momentous occasion of being the first solo rapper to headline the Super Bowl halftime show—he came up empty. His line, “You picked the right time but the wrong guy,” turned out to be his most honest moment, setting the stage for what many are now calling “the worst Super Bowl halftime show ever.”
To Lamar’s credit, when he calls himself the “wrong guy” for the occasion, he’s pointing to a simple truth: he’s not like every other rapper in the industry—and that’s exactly the point. His integrity remains intact. He’s made it this far not by watering down his craft but by prioritizing creativity, craftsmanship, and culture—a rare stance in the mainstream. His music isn’t just entertainment; it’s a challenge to the status quo, a blueprint for the next generation to chart their own course. His body of work carries real cultural weight—a reminder of what hip-hop should be: a creative force that teaches perseverance through adversity, honors culture and history, and delivers music that feeds the soul.
While many have harshly criticized Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl showcase, plenty of others defended it, hailing it as one of the most significant halftime performances in recent years for its layered, subliminal messaging. But viewed objectively—by any critical fan willing to be honest—this was, by far, Lamar’s weakest performance in any setting. From the opening moments, it left far too much to be desired.
Supporters argue that the real focus should be on the strategically placed messages appearing throughout the show. Detractors counter that a dull, uninspired performance isn’t exactly the best way to get viewers invested in cryptic commentary on American society. Without capturing an audience’s genuine interest, even the most revolutionary ideas fall flat. And on Sunday, that’s exactly what happened to Lamar.
The same qualities that make him a generational talent—his love for layered narratives, cryptic messaging, and deep dives into identity—are also what set him up for self-sabotage. His artistic complexity can just as easily become a shortcoming. (Drake would enjoy that line—a height joke, similar to the ones he poked at Kendrick Lamar during their rap feud.)
This pattern isn’t new. As noted in a New Outlook article analyzing the opening track of Lamar’s GNX album, a similar flaw emerged:
“For an artist who claims to be enlightened, Kendrick has unfortunately fallen into the same trap as many leftist ideologues: prioritizing identity above all else and weaponizing victimhood as a means to control and silence others.”
From the start, Lamar’s Super Bowl performance felt like a boycott—just not the kind you’d expect. Rather than pulling his financial support, he pulled his emotional effort, refusing to perform on corporate America’s terms. This defiance is evident when actor Samuel L. Jackson, playing Uncle Sam, confronts Lamar for being “Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto.” He follows with a stern directive as if speaking to a child: “Do you really know how to play the game? Then tighten up!” To which Lamar responds by playing an even louder and chaotic track in “Humble.”
This exchange echoes the backlash Lamar faced from FOX News anchors Geraldo Rivera, Eric Bolling, Kimberly Guilfoyle, and others following his 2015 BET Awards performance. At the time, Rivera claimed, “Hip-hop has done more damage to young African-Americans than racism in recent years. This is exactly the wrong message.”
This segment clearly stuck with Lamar for years, symbolizing everything he despises about corporate America. In a Billboard piece covering the fallout, Lamar told TMZ:
“For the most part it’s avoiding the truth. This is reality, this is my world, this is what I talk about in my music. You can’t [dilute] that. Me being on a cop car, that’s a performance piece after these senseless acts. Hip-hop is not the problem. Our reality is the problem of the situation. This is our music. This is us expressing ourselves. Rather [than] going out here and doing the murders myself, I want to express myself in a positive light the same way other artists are doing. Not going out in the streets, go in the booth and talking about the situation and hoping these kids can find some type of influence on it in a positive manner. Coming from these streets and coming from these neighborhoods, we’re taking our talents and putting ‘em inside the studio.”
Two years later, Lamar dropped DAMN., his fourth studio album. Right from the jump, the opening tracks—“BLOOD” and “DNA”—took aim at the FOX News anchors and the criticism they threw his way.
(This is why I say that Hip-Hop has done more damage to young African-Americans than racism in recent years) “I live a better, fuck your life (Five, four, three, two, one) this is my heritage, all I’m inheritin’… Money and power, the makin’ of marriages… Tell me somethin’… You mothafuckas can’t tell me nothin’… I’d rather die than to listen to you… My DNA not for imitation… Your DNA an abomination.”
Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance, in many ways, picks up where his TMZ interview left off. His performance here is an act of defiance, a rejection of power, and a declaration of autonomy. This isn’t just business as usual for him; it’s deeply personal. While his ongoing feud with Drake serves as the anchor, the story runs deeper. For Lamar, it’s about controlling the narrative to protect culture, normalizing artistry and craftsmanship, and spotlighting societal issues—worthy causes, no doubt. But when it came time to make an impact, the execution just wasn’t there.
There are moments that demand stepping away from familiar tactics and embracing bold, innovative methods that may guarantee long-term success. A Super Bowl halftime show offering a rapper their first solo spotlight is one of those moments. Rather than opting for a highbrow performance that leaves audiences confused and disengaged, a thoughtful arrangement of an artist’s catalog—think Jay-Z and Linkin Park—along with special guests who elevate the experience, offers a more compelling approach. For a sidelined genre like Hip-Hop, this format allows artists to showcase their versatility while drawing in a whole new fanbase.
Lamar clearly didn’t consider any of this when preparing for his Super Bowl appearance. Instead, he seemed entirely fixated on rehashing the same visual concepts that define his work and enjoying the short-term thrill of holding another “win” over Drake. Throughout the performance, he didn’t come across as a seasoned vet; rather, he looked more like an amateur, delivering a stripped-back, rehearsal-like performance that felt prematurely leaked and unready for the masses. It seemed less about entertaining anyone—even his own fanbase—and more about performing the controversial track “Not Like Us” out of spite. The whole thing felt like a big “F—You” to those expecting something compelling. A major setback for Hip-Hop, it lacked vision, direction, and clarity.
Just a month ago, creative vocal director Steve Epting crafted an extraordinary medley, giving us a glimpse of what Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance could’ve sounded like. In just five minutes, Epting and his choir masterfully curated a setlist, pulling from across Lamar’s entire discography. Contrary to what some diehard fans may think, it’s absolutely possible to deliver a resonant performance without losing the message.
Somewhere, in a parallel universe, Kanye West—at the peak of his Donda and Sunday Service era—has just wrapped the first solo rapper Super Bowl halftime show. There are no think pieces like this one dissecting how forgettable his performance was. In fact, you couldn’t forget it if you tried. The only reviews to be found are chronicling how his Super Bowl show might be the greatest performance ever since the tradition began. None of this would be questioned, because Kanye has been delivering historic performances and pushing boundaries since he first hit the stage. The listening parties he curated for his Sunday Service series, Donda and Donda 2 alone stand as cinematic, performance art masterpieces—experiences no other hip-hop artist could replicate. If anyone could ever use the Super Bowl stage as an artistic platform to fully showcase what hip-hop can do, it’s Kanye West—it was always him.
For readers who want to watch Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime performance, you can view it here:
Given my limited exposure to Kendrick Lamar's music and his beef with Drake, your breakdown of his Super Bowl performance sounds about right. When I watch the half-time show every year, I want to be able to be ENTERTAINED, whether or not I have heard of the artist/band or his/her/their music. I want a big, creative spectacle with good music. IT IS THE SUPER BOWL: ALMOST 130 MILLION PEOPLE WATCHED IT THIS YEAR--MAKE IT COUNT!!!! He fell short on that stage, in my opinion.
If they made artists who utilize autotune ineligible for a Grammy, who would be left?