Missed Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show? No Worries, Head This Way

Welcome everyone who either (a) missed the Super Bowl Halftime Show and needs to immediately catch up so you don’t feel excluded in your group chat or (b) watched it and was so mind-blown, they need to watch it again as a matter of urgency.

Kendrick Lamar and SZA delivered an instantly legendary show, complete with American flag imagery and Samuel L. Jackson dressed as Uncle Sam, performing hits like “squabble up,” “HUMBLE.,” “DNA,” “peekaboo,” “All the Stars,” and yes, “Not Like Us,” with a surprise appearance from Serena Williams.

Kendrick first took the stage on the GNX car from his new album cover.

And as he began “HUMBLE.,” dancers around him formed an American flag. SZA joined him onstage shortly after for “Luther” and “All the Stars.”

There was a lot of chatter over whether or not Kendrick would perform “Not Like Us” amid his feud with Drake—despite winning a Grammy for it just last week—and he ultimately went for it! Before going into the song, he teased it, saying mid-performance, “I want to play their favorite song, but you know they love to sue” while a few notes played.

Before taking the stage, Kendrick chatted about what it means to be the first solo hip-hop act to perform at the Halftime Show during a press conference with Apple, saying, “It reminds me of the essence and the core response of rap and hip-hop and how far it can go. So for me, that shit means everything, because it puts the culture on the forefront where it needs to be and not minimized to just a catchy song or verse. This is a true art form, so to represent it on this type of stage is everything that I’ve worked for and everything that I believe in as far as the culture. Like, I live and die by it.”

He also spoke about collaborating with SZA on the show, saying, “For me, personally watching her, her career, and where she’s come from, it’s amazing to see. I get to finally see how certain individuals see me come up in the process because I’ve seen her day one in the studio writing songs, throwing away songs, writing another song. Songs are hard. I understand that process, though, wanting to be great...so to see it now magnified, is like, she always had it, man. I’m just honored to be next to her talent.”

Cool, off to watch this again and ignore the rest of this game, see ya.

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