Kendrick Lamar. Photo:
Gregory Shamus/Getty
Kendrick Lamar didn’t let Drake off easy during his Super Bowl 2025 Halftime show.
During Lamar’s performance at the Caesars Superdome on Sunday, Feb. 9, the Compton-born rapper, 37, closed the show with his Grammy-winning single “Not Like Us” — the popular diss track aimed at Drake amid their ongoing feud.
Before performing the record of the year, Lamar said, “I want to play their favorite song, but you know they love to sue,” likely referring to Drake’s lawsuit against his own record label UMG, which was filed in January, alleging that it was defamation for accusing the “Hotline Bling” rapper of “being a pedophile” in “Not Like Us.”
During Lamar’s halftime performance, however, he noticeably did not say the word “pedophile” where it appears in the song’s original lyrics.
What’s more, Lamar brought out fellow Compton-native Serena Williams, who briefly dated Drake around 2011, to dance during the performance.
Serena Williams during the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show. Emilee Chinn/Getty
Samuel L. Jackson — dressed as Uncle Sam — introduced Lamar when the performance began and appeared a handful of other times during the show.
Lamar performed several of his biggest hits, including “HUMBLE.” and “Squabble Up” before going into the Drake diss track. SZA, as previously announced, came out to perform two songs she’s in, “luther” after the rapper performed his song “peekaboo” from the field. SZA stunned in a red leather look during her appearance.
Samuel L. Jackson during the Super Bowl Halftime Show. FOX
In January, it was confirmed that frequent collaborator SZA would be joining Lamar onstage as a guest performer. SZA, 35, previously appeared on “Gloria” and “Luther” on Lamar’s most recent album GNX.
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Ahead of the performance in a press conference with Apple Music, Lamar teased that fans can expect “storytelling” with his show.
“I think I’ve always been very open about storytelling through, through all my catalog and my history of music, and I’ve always had a passion about bringing that on whatever stage I’m on.”
Kendrick Lamar and SZA during the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime show. FOX
Fans had speculated that New Orleans native Lil Wayne would join Lamar onstage during the Super Bowl performance after he expressed his disappointment for not being asked to perform. He ultimately talked it out with Lamar. “Obviously, he can’t control that. So, he didn’t let me down,” Wayne, 42, said.
Days before the Super Bowl, the rapper teased “something very special” with a cryptic Instagram Stories post.
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“Y’all know I’m not going to be there this week, which means I guess there’s a seat to fill,” he said at the time. “Shout out to New Orleans, but I’ve been working on something very special. I got something exciting coming for you Thursday, the 6th. Until then… I’m chillin’.”
