Kendrick Lamar performed the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show tonight at New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome. After a special introduction by actor Samuel L. Jackson dressed as Uncle Sam, the Compton rapper opened with “Bodies”—which first appeared in the teaser for GNX—while standing atop the album cover’s car and segued into “Squabble Up,” among a number of other hits in medley form. Watch a replay of the halftime show below.
Jackson returned to the field to criticize Lamar for being “too ghetto” and told him to “tighten up,” causing Lamar to launch into “Humble” while backup dancers dressed in red, white, and blue outfits danced around him in a formation resembling the American flag. He also broke out “DNA” and “Euphoria” while walking all over a mock field and past an enormous light post. Jackson took shots at Lamar once again, calling his crew a “culture cheat code.”
Red lights lit up a box as Lamar performed “Man at the Garden,” dancers continuing to circle about, and he strut about the relatively plain stage design. As he started to launch into “Peekaboo,” Lamar took the opportunity to briefly tease “Not Like Us” before stopping it short.
As revealed in advance, his longtime collaborator SZA joined him on the field to perform together, singing “Luther” and “All the Stars.” Patriotic apparel sparkling, Jackson hopped back in front of the camera to praise Lamar, yelling, “That’s what America wants! Nice and calm!”
The hook from “Not Like Us” started to play over the speakers again, and backup dancers in black-and-red bobs asked the rapper if he really was about to do this. “This is bigger than the music,” said Lamar. “They tried to fight it, but you can’t fake influence.” Backup dancers moved around him in rotating circles while tennis legend Serena Williams danced side-stage to the massive hit – including while Lamar and the crowd sang the diss track’s infamous, lawsuit-prompting line.
Lamar’s company with Dave Free, pgLang, handled the creative direction for the halftime show performance. Diversified Production Services served as producers for the halftime show telecast with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and Jesse Collins as executive producers, Hamish Hamilton as director, and Roc Nation acting “as the strategic entertainment advisor of the live performance.”
The halftime show performance arrived on the heels of Lamar’s surprise November album, GNX, and a spate of victories at the 2025 Grammy Awards. Thanks to his smash hit “Not Like Us,” Lamar swept all five categories in which he was nominated: Song and Record of the Year, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, and Best Music Video. That means that “Not Like Us” won as many Grammy Awards (five) as the diss track’s target, Drake, has won in his entire career (five). To rub it in even more, the gala sang along loudly to the song, including its most damning accusation.
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