Does Kendrick Lamar Deserve to Perform at the Super Bowl?
He started the year by featuring on Atlanta rapper Future’s hit record “Like That”. He set the rap world on fire when he initiated drama between fellow rap artists Drake and J Cole, claiming there is no “big three” and there is only “big me”.
This would lead to a full-on diss battle between the trio, with the main event being the lyrical clash between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. This “diss battle” would lead to Lamar dropping the hit song, “Not Like Us” which was No. 2 on Billboard’s Song of Summer chart and broke numerous records.
This feud between the artists has thrust Kendrick back into the spotlight. Before featuring on “Like That”, his last feature verse was in June 2023 his pgLang label signee(who happens to be his cousin) Baby Keem’s single “The Hillbillies”. His last album, Mr Morale And The Big Steppers, was released in May 2022.
Lamar would break his silence after the back-and-forth feud with Drake on September 11, after he released an untitled song on Instagram.
While many have speculated a new album, Kendrick Lamar has his sights on what could be the biggest moment of his career: The Super Bowl. On Sept. 8, Roc Nation, the NFL, and Apple Music announced that Lamar would be the headliner for the prestigious Super Bowl Halftime show. This marks the first time a rapper will have a solo performance for the Super Bowl halftime show.
Even though a lot of fans were excited, this decision was met with criticism by many, as well as many people questioning why rapper Lil Wayne wasn’t selected as the halftime performer. The reason for the backlash is that the Super Bowl is hosted in New Orleans, Louisiana which is Lil Wayne’s hometown. If they are going to choose a rapper why not Lil Wayne?
Lil Wayne has since reacted to the decision to go with Lamar as the performer saying in a video that the decision “broke him” and blaming himself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown.
Many fans have begun speculating on why the rapper was overlooked for the nod, and many have pointed the finger at Roc Nation owner Jay-Z who has a history of problems with Lil Wayne’s close friend and rapper Birdman.