Kendrick Lamar may not have been awarded MVP on Super Bowl Sunday, but his halftime performance cemented his victory in hip-hop’s most talked-about feud. While the Kansas City Chiefs fell short of a historic three-peat, Drake also suffered a major defeat in the eyes of rap fans.
The Lawsuit Shadowing the Show
Leading up to Lamar’s performance, speculation ran high about whether he would perform Not Like Us, his Grammy-winning diss track aimed at Drake. The song dominated 2024, fueling their heated rap battle. Its lyrics contain pointed accusations, leading Drake to file a lawsuit against his own label, UMG, over its involvement in the track’s promotion. Despite the legal drama, Lamar remained unfazed.
A Performance Packed with Symbolism
From the moment Lamar stepped on stage, he made his message clear. Sporting a bold “A” chain—possibly referencing the “A Minor” lyric in Not Like Us—he teased the lawsuit by telling the crowd, “I want to perform their favorite song, but you know they love to sue.”
When the moment arrived, Lamar didn’t hold back. He delivered the track with calculated precision, locking eyes with the camera as he rapped, “Say Drake, I hear you like ‘em young.” While he omitted the controversial “pedophile” line, the audience filled in the gaps, chanting along with the song’s most infamous lyrics.
Serena Williams’ Silent Statement
Lamar took the trolling a step further by featuring tennis legend Serena Williams in the performance. As he referenced her in the lyrics, the camera panned to Williams dancing—a subtle but powerful moment considering her history with Drake.
Williams and Drake were rumored to have dated, and Drake previously called her husband a “groupie” in his music. Last year, she playfully warned against feuding with Lamar at the ESPY Awards, a moment that seemed to foreshadow her appearance at the Super Bowl.
Her dance carried even deeper meaning. The Crip Walk, a move she performed after winning Olympic gold in 2012, had once sparked controversy. On Sunday, she reclaimed it, joking online, “Man, I did not Crip walk like that at Wimbledon… Ooh, I would’ve been fined.”
A Cultural Victory
While the Eagles secured the Super Bowl win, Lamar arguably won the bigger battle. His halftime show wasn’t just a performance—it was a declaration. In the ongoing war of words between two of hip-hop’s biggest stars, Lamar left no doubt about who came out on top.
