Music correspondent
“I want to reproduce their favorite song … but you know they like to sue,” said Kendrick Lamar, a few minutes in his show at half -time Super Bowla.
Everyone knew what was meant. Not like us, his brutal removal of Rap rival Drake, he was one of last year’s breakthrough hits, he made a billion flow on Spotify and five Grammy awards, including Song of the Year.
But there were questions whether Lamar would play him – or could he even play – in Super Bowl, after Drake filed a defamation lawsuit For the texts that marked him with a sexual predator, which he denies.
Lamar leaned into a dilemma, a teasing song over and over during his set, before he finally gave the audience what they wanted.
When the song finally played, Kendrick is a more self -conscious lyric in which Drake calls “certified pedophile”.
But he looked directly at the camera with a naughty smile as he called Drake’s name; and left the untouched infamous song Double-Entendre: “Try to hit the chord and that is likely Smaller. “
This lyrics echoed around Caesars Superdomea in Louisiani, pointing out that no legal procedure can ever hope to reduce the popularity of the song.
Playing him, Lamar was expected to reach more than 120 million TV viewers who adapted to take Kansas City’s bosses to take over Philadelphia Eagles.
The play is further enhanced by the surprising appearance of tennis star Serena Williams, who performed Crip Walk – the infamous dance move at Los Angeles – as Lamar passed the stage.
Drake’s lawyers are suing Lamar’s record label Universal Music Group through the song, accusing her of trying to “create a viral hit” from the song that made “false factual accusations” from the star.
Sunday first marked that Solo rapper had found Super Bowl, and Lamar brought a complex stage show, full of dancers, fireworks and special guests.
But rapper’s texts have always explored contradictions between ego and doubt, and his Super Bowl has set that conflict in the spotlight.
He performed on a giant slab and intersection, overturning between the introspective deep cuts (usually styled within the XS) and hits that took place in the OS).
Actor Samuel L Jackson, dressed as an uncle himself, acted like Emcee – prevailing Lamar when he became too self -sufficient and praising his duets with R&B singer Sza.
“I’m talking about that,” Jackson said, after the duo performed all the stars, the ballad from the sound record to the movie Marvel’s Black Panther.
“That’s what America wants, beautiful and calm.”
But whatever Lamar did, the energy was electrifying.
Early prominent content included Humble and DNA, both taken from the rapper Pulitzer’s award -winning album Damn, and whose tectonic rhythms rattled around the stadium.
Set, What is available to watch on YouTubeAlso included Squabble up, a man in the garden and another Drake Diss, Euphoria path.
Unlike most performers Super Bowla, Lamar is not much driver, but he had a charismatic momentum while walking up with his dancers; And the smart ingenious giving momentum – especially on nervous, corner paths like Peekaboo.
The SZA also raised a set, with a data vocal and an incredibly flexible choreography that helped to alleviate Lamar’s ugly instincts.
It’s not like we were undoubtedly a highlight, but Lamar took over the winning circle on the anthem television on the west coast, where he boasted, “Yes someone has to do that‘
He was joined on stage by the producer of the song, Mustard, who tightened football while dealing with the brightest jeans in the world – before Lamar pointed out the imaginary remote control on the camera and intoned, “Game Over”.
For fans, it was a powerful performance, full of Easter eggs – including a clip of unpublished songs.
Occasional viewers may have agreed more with Samuel l Jackson for Lamar to stay in the light; Especially since some of his denser texts made the incomprehensible cavernous echo of the stadium.
And it was noticeable that Lamar left out to play his anthem for civil rights, in the year in which NFL decided to remove the phrase “Final Racism” from the end zone of the football field.
The term was present in Super Bowl since 2020, in the midst of a protest of Black Lives Matter – for which he became an unofficial sound record.
Many expected Lamar to make a bigger statement, especially with President Donald Trump, but the star’s performance remained firmly undeniable – unless, of course, your name is not Drake.
Protest on stage
Nevertheless, Lamar’s show was smooth and simplified – as many fans expected, after the sound of leaking a susceptible trail Thursday.
The only interruption came at the height of the 13th-minute set, when the protester climbed to the top of Lamar’s black car, Buick Gnx and revealed a combined Palestinian and Sudanese flag before being resolved by security officers.
Later, NFL said in a statement that the protester was part of the cast of 400 members who participated in the show.
Which songs played by Kendrick Lamar?
The career protection set pushed 11 songs in 13 minutes. Here’s what Kendrick played.
- Bodies
- Quarrel
- Humble
- DNA
- Euphoria
- A man in the garden
- Peekaboo
- Luther (with Sza)
- All stars (with Sza)
- Not like us
- TV
Taylor Swift looks at the side
Before the show, it was rumored that Taylor Swift could deviate from his VIP apartment to join the Lamar on stage.
In 2015, the couple inserted the remix of his single Bad Blood – and fans hoped that he might be performed live for the first time in Super Bowl.
In the end, Swift decided to just watch the show, along with other celebrity participants, including Paula McCartney, Stormzy, Lady Gaga, Jay-Z, Ice Spice, Doechii, Paul Rudd, Bradley Cooper and Winnie Harlow.
Maybe this was the best: some reports suggest that Swift was elevated at the stadium at the stadium, where almost 80% of the fans supported Philadelphia Eagles, not the team of his boyfriend Travis Kelce.
Great performance of Lady Gaga
Before the start, Lady Gaga was surprised at Bourbon Street, in the midst of the historic French quarter of the New Orleans.
The star, who played her own super bowl at halftime in 2017, played a touching performance of her Hold My song for her hand, paying tribute to the victims of the terrorist attack on New Year’s Day in which they took the lives of 14 people in the city.
Gaga was surrounded by the first answers as the black baby Grand piano played in the middle of the road.
“Here at Bourbon Street, always the heart and soul of New Orleans, this year began with a terrorist attack that tried to overthrow his spirit,” said former American footballer Michael Strahan during a prefront segment.
“But the resistance of New Orleans is aligned with the determination of our country.”
Music performances before the game were also included by R&B artist Ledisija, who performed the elevator every voice and sang, often called a black national anthem, joined by 125 young members.
Musician Troy Andrews, popularly known as Trombone Shorty, and Christian singer Lauren Daigle played America The Beautiful-launching song Vibration of New Orleans.
And just before the match started, a native of New Orleans Jon Batiste sang the American national anthem, adding a few jazz flourishing from his multicolored large piano.
