Kendrick Lamar & SZA Hype Up Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show
Kendrick Lamar and SZA star in a new trailer for the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show.
The 30-second clip finds the Compton-bred MC pacing on the field while chatting on the phone. His former Top Dawg Entertainment labelmate sneaks up behind him and dumps what looks like a bucket of Gatorade over his head. It abruptly ends there.
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Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show performance cements his status as one of the most influential artists of his generation. Fans are speculating on which of his chart-topping hits—including “HUMBLE.,” “Alright” or “DNA”—he might perform. The performance is expected to showcase the artistry and social consciousness that have made him a cultural icon, potentially weaving in themes of empowerment and unity that align with his music’s ethos.
It will be particularly interesting to see if he performs his now-infamous Drake diss track, “Not Like Us,” which dominated the charts last summer and appeared to put the cap on the two rappers’ ongoing beef. Rumor has it that the National Football League (NFL) asked Lamar to not perform that specific song, considering he calls Drake a “pedophile.”
Plus, Drake is trying to sue Universal Music Group over the track itself. After withdrawing his original legal petition against Spotify and UMG on January 14, Drake’s legal counsel filed a lawsuit against UMG claiming they mounted a campaign to devalue his name and music by boosting ”Not Like Us.”
In a response an official with UMG shared with Variety, the label denies Drake’s claims have any validity and suggests he’s using the lawsuit to stop Lamar from doing to Drake what he’s done to other artists throughout his career.
Super Bowl LIX takes place at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on February 9.