This year’s Super Bowl halftime show may have been the most entertaining part of the big game. 17-time GRAMMY winner Kendrick Lamar headlined the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, and we expected him to impress. Lamar uses his music to poetically discuss both complex emotions and ongoing political issues, so it’s no surprise that his Super Bowl performance sent a powerful message.
Let’s look into the message behind the halftime show.
1. Performing “Not Like Us”
“Not Like Us” is so good that it won Kendrick several GRAMMYs this year. Lamar has released several diss tracks about Drake, and “Not Like Us” is his latest. The iconic song featured prominently in Lamar’s Super Bowl performance.
One key line in the song says “Say, Drake…” clearly calling him out. When Kendrick sang this part at the Super Bowl, he paused and made eye contact with the camera. Lamar’s stance during the performance couldn’t have been clearer.
2. Special Guest Features
SZA and Serena Williams both joined Kendrick onstage, and they both have a surprising connection to Drake. Yes, SZA and Serena Williams are two of Drake’s ex-girlfriends. These two talented ladies performing with Kendrick is a direct gut punch to Drake. SZA and Serena are clearly on Kendrick’s side now!
3. The Stage Setup
The Super Bowl halftime stage was designed to look like a PlayStation controller. This is a blow to Drake because Sony — the developers of PlayStation — and Drake share production companies. Furthermore, when Serena Williams made her appearance, she danced in the “X” of the “controller” onstage, which called out that she’s one of Drake’s exes.
4. Kendrick Lamar’s Necklace
Kendrick’s Super Bowl outfit included a lowercase “a” necklace. This could be a nod to the “Not Like Us” lyric “tryna strike a chord, and it’s probably A minor.” This recognizable line is both a diss of Drake’s musical abilities and a reference to his habit of texting minor girls.
5. Commentary on America
Though Kendrick Lamar dissed Drake multiple times during the halftime show, the performance contained many other metaphors, mostly about America. The American flag formation that the dancers stood in highlighted our country’s unity — or lack thereof. Samuel L. Jackson also performed as “Uncle Sam,” dialoguing with Kendrick throughout the performance. Additionally, the audience featured the words “wrong way,” which could have been a message that America is moving backwards instead of progressing. Lastly, the dancing formation, with every dancer standing in place, symbolized prisoners in a prison yard, which is a nod to the mass incarceration in this country. Black Americans are incarcerated at far higher rates than their white counterparts, and Lamar has rapped about this issue multiple times.
Well-played, Kendrick. Your performance was definitely one of the best Super Bowl shows of all time.
Kendrick Lamar often highlights culturally relevant messages in his songs. Did you watch the Super Bowl halftime show? What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below!
Featured Photo via Google Creative Commons.
