Kendrick Lamar lashes out at Drake with his track 'Not Like Us' at the Super Bowl halftime show

Super Bowl LIX will be remembered not only for the Philadelphia Eagles' historic victory over the Kansas City Chiefs but also for Kendrick Lamar's highly anticipated and controversial halftime show.

Standing out on the Caesars Superdome stage with a pure rap performance, Kendrick Lamar surprised the audience by performing "Not Like Us," the song at the center of his ongoing feud with fellow rapper Drake.

Kendrick Lamar performing “Not Like Us” and calling Drake a p*do in front of 100M viewers live at the Super Bowl is going down in history pic.twitter.com/vluJ0FOziG

The song’s lyrics have caused quite a stir, turning it into both a hit and an anthem in the rap world. The track includes harsh accusations against the Canadian rapper, even referring to him as a "pedophile." However, during his Super Bowl performance, Lamar strategically altered the lyrics, omitting that specific accusation—sparking speculation and discussion on social media.

GAME OVER. @kendricklamar #AppleMusicHalftime pic.twitter.com/VpDfnZ6Cjk

From Compton to NOLA. @SerenaWilliams @KendrickLamar #AppleMusicHalftime pic.twitter.com/mnzuP7fJ1N

In fact, Lamar took a subtle jab at Drake and his team onstage, saying, "I want to perform their favorite song, but you know they love to sue."

"I want to perform their favorite song, but you know they love to sue" 😭😭😭#SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/N8lPNFThcm

"Not Like Us," in addition to going absolutely viral, was also part of Lamar's multi-Grammy award-winning album, including "Best Song of the Year" and "Best Recording of the Year."

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Super Bowl LIX: los Eagles aplastan a los Chiefs y se coronan campeones de la NFL

Emmanuel Alejandro Rondón

Lamar’s unexpected criticism of Drake—especially after speculation that he might avoid performing "Not Like Us" out of fear of retaliation—wasn’t the only surprise of the night. His performance also featured big-name guests, including actor Samuel L. Jackson, who portrayed a colorful Uncle Sam, and tennis star Serena Williams, Drake’s ex, who joined in on the dancing.

Amid the controversy surrounding the halftime show, the Philadelphia Eagles were crowned Super Bowl champions, dominating the Kansas City Chiefs. Led by a standout performance from Jalen Hurts, the victory served as sweet revenge for the Eagles, who had fallen to the Chiefs in the 2023 final.

Beyond the game, the Super Bowl crowd witnessed several unforgettable moments. Notably, Taylor Swift was met with boos, while former President Donald Trump received overwhelming applause from the stadium—making history as the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl.