Yahoo Lifestyle Kendrick Lamar Appears To Take Patriotic Swipe At Donald Trump
While many fans tuned into Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show performance in anticipation of his performance of “Not Like Us,” a song that took aim at Drake amid their longstanding rap beef, eagle-eyed fans noticed he seemed to take a dig at someone else — President Donald Trump.
Trump was in the audience for this year’s game, making him the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl.
On Sunday, Lamar took the Caesars Superdome stage in New Orleans as the Philadelphia Eagles led the Kansas City Chiefs 24-0 during halftime to perform a string of his biggest hits, including “DNA,” “Squabble Up,” and “Humble,” accompanied by singer SZA and DJ Mustard. The rapper won big at this year’s Grammys last week, taking home five awards for “Not Like Us.”
Actor Samuel L. Jackson, dressed as Uncle Sam, introduced the Compton MC. He reappeared throughout Lamar’s show, interrupting him between songs, and at one point told the rapper he’s “too ghetto.”
One social media user on X, formerly Twitter, interpreted the significance of the moment amid Trump’s efforts to end diversity, equity and inclusion (diversity, equity and inclusion) programs in America.
“Samuel l jackson as uncle sam, the personification of america, telling kendrick his performance is ‘too ghetto’ and then it cutting to kendrick’s all-black backup dancers arranged as the american flag all while That Man [Trump] is in attendance? kendrick i was not familiar with your game,” the X user wrote.
Another person wrote, “Donald Trump is forced to watch Samuel L Jackson, dressed as Uncle Sam, introduce Kendrick Lamar at the super bowl half time show after asking the NFL to not show the ‘End Racism’ In the End Zones is the Headline.”
The NFL removed the slogan “End Racism” from the field and replaced it with the phrase “Choose Love” — a move criticized by many, considering Trump’s moves to target DEI efforts.
The NFL addressed the decision in a statement.
“The Super Bowl is often a snapshot in time, and the NFL is in a unique position to capture and lift the imagination of the country,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said.
McCarthy continued, ”‘Choose Love’ is appropriate to use as our country has endured in recent weeks wildfires in southern California, the terrorist attack here in New Orleans, the plane and helicopter crash near our nation’s capital and the plane crash in Philadelphia.”
While Trump hasn’t publicly addressed Lamar’s performance yet, CNN’s Brian Stelter reported that the president left his box at the Caesars Superdome shortly before Lamar’s show ended.
This isn’t the first time Lamar has called out Trump. He previously criticized him in his songs such as 2017′s “The Heart Part 4” and “XXX.”
