Super Bowl LIX halftime show

Last updated

Super Bowl LIX halftime show
SBLIX Halftime Poster.jpeg
Part of Super Bowl LIX
DateFebruary 9, 2025
Location New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Venue Caesars Superdome
Headliner Kendrick Lamar
Special guests
Sponsor Apple Music
Director Hamish Hamilton
Producer
Super Bowl halftime show chronology
LVIII
(2024)		LIX
(2025)		 LX
(2026)

The Super Bowl LIX halftime show, officially known as the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show, was the halftime entertainment of Super Bowl LIX, which took place on February 9, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. It featured rapper Kendrick Lamar as the headline performer, with guest appearances from R&B artist SZA, actor Samuel L. Jackson, tennis player Serena Williams, and DJ and record producer Mustard. The show was televised nationally in the U.S. by Fox and Fox Deportes, and streamed on Tubi and NFL+. The performance was seen by a combined 133.5 million viewers domestically across broadcast television and streaming platforms, surpassing Michael Jackson's performance at Super Bowl XXVII in 1993 as the most viewed halftime show in the United States.

Contents

Background

Selection process

The process of deciding a headline performer for the Super Bowl halftime show is disputed. [1] According to The Charlotte Observer , it begins with a panel that includes the National Football League's (NFL) director of entertainment, members of its production company, and the halftime show's director and producer. A short list of potential performers is created and given to the Super Bowl's host city, who makes the final decision. [2] However, members of its host committee claimed that a headline performer is solely picked by the league, and they are notified on who was chosen in the same manner as the general public. [3]

On August 13, 2019, the NFL announced a partnership with Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter and his entertainment company Roc Nation to be named the league's live music entertainment strategist. [4] In that role, Jay-Z and his firm became co-producers and consultants of the Super Bowl halftime show, allowing them to be involved in selecting music for NFL usage and choosing entertainers to perform in televised promotional spots throughout the season. [5] "We really wanted to start to focus on leading to culture," Seth Dudowsky, the league's head of music, explained. "Whether that's the culture of the city, what's happening in culture at large and then focusing on it so that what we're doing feels culturally relevant and using that platform for artists to be able to be themselves and show their art on stage. We want them to feel empowered." [6]

Kendrick Lamar previously headlined the Super Bowl LVI halftime show alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Mary J. Blige, with 50 Cent and Anderson .Paak serving as special guests. [7] The first halftime show to be centered entirely around hip hop music, [8] it was met with critical acclaim and won three Primetime Emmy Awards, including a historic win for Outstanding Variety Special (Live). [9] Lamar's "thrilling" and "electrifying" performance was highlighted by several critics. [10] [11] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times called it "stunning — ecstatically liquid in flow, moving his body with jagged vigor." [12] Rolling Stone 's Rob Sheffield opined that he deserved an entire slot to himself. [13]

Artists in contention

Lil Wayne publicly campaigned to headline a Super Bowl halftime show, especially one hosted in his hometown of New Orleans. [14] He was an initial candidate to perform, according to Stephen A. Smith for ESPN. [15] "I'd kill that shit," Wayne exclaimed in an interview with Rolling Stone's Andre Gee. "We wouldn't even worry about the game after that. Everybody knew that one kid [who] was watching the halftime show, but that'd be one of the first Super Bowls that they'll be like, 'Both teams were out on the field watching the halftime show.'" [14] By February 2024, Wayne was not given the call from the NFL, but he remained hopeful about his chances. [16] "We all praying, we keeping our fingers crossed," he told YG. "I'm working hard. I'm going to make sure this next album and everything I do is killer, so I want to just make it hard for them not to highlight the boy." [16]

Headliner announcement

Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date. And I'll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one.

– Lamar on headlining the Super Bowl LIX halftime show, The Hollywood Reporter [17]

On September 8, 2024, before the first full slate of regular season matches went underway, the NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced Lamar as the headlining act for the Super Bowl LIX halftime show. [18] He is the first rapper to lead the festivities multiple times. [19] Lamar shared the news by posting a promotional trailer on YouTube, which was directed by his long-time creative partner Dave Free. [20] The one-shot trailer shows him on a football field in front of a large American flag throwing footballs through a passing machine at off-screen players. [20] As he shouts motivational remarks to them, he introduces himself as the headliner. [20] On January 23, 2025, it was announced that SZA would be joining as a special guest. [21]

Reception to selection

The decision to have Lamar headline the halftime show polarized the rap industry. [22] Media outlets described Lil Wayne not being chosen as the headliner as a snub, given the event was taking place in his hometown, and he admitted the announcement "broke" him. [23] [24] Birdman, [25] Boosie Badazz, [26] Cam'ron, [27] Mase, [28] Master P, [29] and Nicki Minaj condemned Jay-Z for the "egregious" selection and accused him of factoring in his complicated relationship with Lil Wayne and other artists under his record label, Young Money Entertainment. [30] [31] On the other hand, Charlamagne tha God, [32] Fabolous, [33] Fat Joe, [34] and Jay Electronica defended Jay-Z, noting that he was not the only one involved in deciding the headliner. [35]

Critics were more positive about Lamar's announcement, praising it as a historic and full circle accomplishment that ties to the beginning of his escalated feud with Drake. The editorial staff of HipHopDX , led by Elliott Wilson, opined that he was the right choice, citing his legacy, catalog, and showmanship as prime examples. [36] Justin Sayles of The Ringer stated his belief that the halftime performance announcement was the capstone of a year that had seen Lamar "ascend to the highest levels" of popular culture, and seen Drake "sink to the lowest levels" of his career. [37] David Dennis Jr. of Andscape declared the announcement as a final, definitive reminder that Lamar has completed "one of the most undeniable one-sided victories in rap history." [38] USA Today 's Mike Freeman argued that it showcased a prominent example of Jay-Z's influence on the NFL's mostly conservative owners by "unabashedly injecting Black culture into the league's Super Bowl bloodstream." [39] However, some commentators found it hypocritical of Lamar to headline the performance given his reputation as a socially aware rapper and the NFL's troubled history with social justice initiatives. [38]

On November 22, 2024, Kendrick Lamar released his sixth studio album, GNX . [40] In the song "Wacced Out Murals", he mentions Lil Wayne's reaction towards his Super Bowl announcement. He opines his hard work let Lil Wayne down, and that Nas was the only rap artist to praise him for it. [41]

Development

Creative direction for the performance was provided by Lamar and Free's company, PGLang. [17] It was produced by Diversified Production Services (DPS) and directed by Hamish Hamilton. [17] Jesse Collins, Jay-Z and Roc Nation executive produced the telecast for a sixth year; the latter agency also served as strategic entertainment advisors. [17]

Performance synopsis

"Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show" (live)
Promotional single by Kendrick Lamar
from the album Super Bowl LIX Live from New Orleans, LA
ReleasedFebruary 11, 2025 (2025-02-11) [42]
RecordedFebruary 9, 2025 (2025-02-09)
Venue Caesars Superdome
Length13:20
Label NFL
Songwriter(s) Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar promotional singles chronology
"The Heart Part 5"
(2022)		"Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show" (live)
(2025)
Performance video
Kendrick Lamar's Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show on YouTube

The performance began with Kendrick Lamar and his backup dancers getting out of a 1980s Buick GNX and onto a stage resembling a giant PlayStation controller. The opening was a portion of the unreleased song "Bodies". [43] Samuel L. Jackson appeared in a recurring role as Uncle Sam, who provided satirical commentary and advice to Kendrick between songs to illustrate the cultural divide of America. [44] [45] Lamar initially teased a performance of "Not Like Us", breaking the fourth wall and stating "I wanna play their favorite song, but you know they love to sue." [46] [47] Lamar played "Luther" and "All the Stars" with SZA before returning to "Not Like Us". [44] Professional tennis player Serena Williams, who shares Lamar's hometown of Compton, made a cameo appearance as a dancer doing a crip walk during "Not Like Us", [44] [48] a reference to Williams performing a similar dance after her victory at the 2012 Summer Olympics, for which she faced some criticism. Williams's appearance was also received as a diss towards Drake, with whom she was rumored to have dated several years earlier. [49] [50] [51] The performance was capped off by "TV Off" with Mustard coming out as a special guest, finally with Lamar "turning the TV off" and the words "GAME OVER" being displayed through crowd wristband lights. [44]

Flag protester incident

A protester waving a combination of the Sudanese flag and the Palestinian flag with the words "Sudan" and "Gaza" written on it, as well as a heart and a raised fist, stood on the stage during Lamar's performance on top of a black GNX, and ran around the field before being tackled by security. The man named Zul-Qarnain Nantambu, a member of Lamar's field cast, had concealed the flag on his person without the knowledge of organizers before unfurling it during the performance. [52] [53] Roc Nation stated that the protest "was neither planned nor part of the production and was never in any rehearsal." The performer was "banned for life" from all NFL stadiums and events. The New Orleans Police initially stated they were "working to determine applicable charges" against the performer, but later confirmed they would not file charges. [54] [55] [56]

Reception

Critical reception

Lisa Respers France of CNN called "Not Like Us" the star of the halftime performance, [57] while Maria Sherman of the Associated Press described Lamar performing the song on the biggest stage in American sport as another step in Lamar's continued victory lap in his feud with Drake. [58] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times described his performance as "quite a spectacle — perhaps the peak of any rap battle, ever". [59] Mark Beaumont of The Independent stated his "performance will undoubtedly go down as one of the most important halftime shows in the history of the event, if not the most significant mass-televised rap performance of all time". [60] Sam Wolfson of The Guardian commented that he "chose artistry over more obvious showmanship in an unusual set". [61] Sidney Madden, writing for NPR, commented on the underlying message of the performance, claiming that "Lamar played into fears that he's too dangerous for the country's biggest stage with sinister pleasure, making it clear that he would not soften his contempt or his approach for the mass audience." [62]

Themes and analysis

Prior to the event, Lamar discussed his storytelling while performing, stating "I just want you to feel it. The writing is there, now it's up to me to perform it so you feel it [...] I like to carry on that sense of, make people listen, but also see and think a little." [63] Observers noted that dancers dressed in red, white, and blue arranged themselves to look like a divided American flag as Lamar performed "Humble", as well as Lamar chanting "the revolution 'bout to be televised, you picked the right time but the wrong guy" and "forty acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music". [64] [65] [66] Analysis from The Root concluded that Jackson's role as Uncle Sam represented a "sanitized" America controlling the free expression of African American artists—referencing his criticism of "Squabble Up" being "too ghetto". [67] Writing for The New York Times , Tiana Clark opined that his performance represented "the gamification of the elusive American dream", with apparent references to Squid Game and PlayStation controllers throughout his set. [68] Writing for USA Today , Nancy Armour opined that his performance represented the dangers of President Donald Trump's vision of America. [69]

Viewership

The show was televised nationally in the U.S. by Fox and Fox Deportes, and streamed on Tubi and NFL+. [70] [71] The performance was seen by an average of 133.5 million viewers domestically across broadcast television and streaming platforms during the 15 minute-long set, surpassing Michael Jackson's performance at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show in 1993. [72] The increase was largely driven by a strong lead-in, as the event's viewership peaked at 137.7 million viewers during 15-minute segment of the game immediately before the halftime show. This might however been due to more viewers coming to watch his show right before start. [73]

Set list

Source: Billboard [74]

  1. "Bodies" (with elements of "Wacced Out Murals")
  2. "Squabble Up"
  3. "Humble"
  4. "DNA"
  5. "Euphoria"
  6. "Man at the Garden"
  7. "Peekaboo"
  8. "Luther" (with SZA)
  9. "All the Stars" (with SZA)
  10. "Not Like Us"
  11. "TV Off" (with Mustard)

References

  1. ↑ Inman, DeMicia (September 10, 2024). "How Is The Super Bowl Halftime Performer Chosen?". Vibe. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  2. ↑ Santiago, Evan (February 14, 2022). "How Super Bowl halftime headliners are chosen and why they work for free". The Charlotte Observer . Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  3. ↑ Dennis Jr, David (September 10, 2024). "Lil Wayne's absence is the elephant in the room at the Super Bowl halftime show". Andscape. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  4. ↑ Belson, Ken; Sisario, Ben (August 13, 2019). "N.F.L. and Jay-Z Team Up on Music and Social Justice Campaign" . The New York Times . ISSN   1553-8095. Archived from the original on February 15, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  5. ↑ Maske, Mark (August 13, 2019). "NFL partners with Jay-Z on Super Bowl halftime entertainment, social justice initiative" . The Washington Post . ISSN   0190-8286. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  6. ↑ Landrum Jr, Jonathan (January 31, 2024). "From marching bands to megastars: How the Super Bowl halftime show became a global spectacle". Associated Press . Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  7. ↑ McIntosh, Steve (February 14, 2022). "Super Bowl: Dr Dre and Eminem pack in the hits at half-time show". BBC News . Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  8. ↑ Tannenbaum, Rob (February 10, 2022). "How Hip-Hop Inched Its Way to the Super Bowl Halftime Stage". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  9. ↑ Grein, Paul (September 3, 2022). "Super Bowl Halftime Show, Adele, The Beatles: Get Back & Other Big Winners at 2022 Creative Arts Emmys". Billboard . Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  10. ↑ Perry, Kevin E G (February 14, 2022). "Super Bowl 2022 halftime review: Dr Dre oversees performance from hip-hop royalty". The Independent . Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  11. ↑ Wood, Mikael (February 13, 2022). "Dr. Dre leads giant win for hip-hop in electrifying, ambitious Super Bowl halftime show" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  12. ↑ Caramanica, Jon (February 13, 2022). "Rap Takes Over Super Bowl Halftime, Balancing Celebration and Protest" . The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 14, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  13. ↑ Sheffield, Rob (February 14, 2022). "Every Super Bowl Halftime Show, Ranked From Worst to Best". Rolling Stone . Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  14. 1 2 Gee, Andre (June 9, 2023). "Lil Wayne Is So Prolific He Hardly Remembers Tha Carter III". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  15. ↑ Bachar, Zach (September 12, 2024). "Stephen A. Smith: Lil Wayne Was Considered for NFL's Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show". Bleacher Report . Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  16. 1 2 Turner-Williams, Jaelani (September 9, 2024). "Clip of Lil Wayne Saying He Wants to Do Super Bowl Resurfaces: 'We Keeping Our Fingers Crossed'". Complex . Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Fekadu, Mesfin (September 8, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar to Headline 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  18. ↑ "NFL in his DNA: Kendrick Lamar will play SB LIX". ESPN . Associated Press. September 8, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  19. ↑ Gaydos, Ryan (September 8, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar headlines Super Bowl LIX's halftime show". Fox News . Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  20. 1 2 3 Scribner, Herb (September 8, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar to headline 2025 Super Bowl LIX halftime show". The Washington Post . ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  21. ↑ Tinoco, Armando (January 23, 2025). "SZA To Join Kendrick Lamar At Apple Music's Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
  22. ↑ Lee, Chantelle (September 9, 2024). "Some Are Criticizing Kendrick Lamar Headlining Super Bowl". TIME . Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  23. ↑ Kaufman, Gil (September 13, 2024). "Devastated Lil Wayne Admits Super Bowl Halftime Snub 'Broke' Him: 'It Hurt a Lot'". Billboard. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  24. ↑ Johnson, Arianna (September 13, 2024). "Lil Wayne Reacts To Super Bowl Halftime Snub: 'It Broke Me'". Forbes. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  25. ↑ Mahadevan, Tara (September 9, 2024). "Birdman Appears to Vent Frustration With Super Bowl Halftime Show Not Selecting Lil Wayne, Demands 'Respek'". Complex. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  26. ↑ Nevares, Gabriel Bras (September 9, 2024). "Boosie Badazz Rants Against Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Halftime Show". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  27. ↑ Bennett, Jessica (September 9, 2024). "Cam'ron Slams Kendrick Lamar Being Booked For Super Bowl Over Lil Wayne As "Egregious"". Vibe . Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  28. ↑ William Cowen, Trace (September 9, 2024). "Cam'ron and Mase Criticize Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl Announcement: 'Egregious… Hating at This Age Is Crazy'". Complex. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  29. ↑ Fitzgerald, Trent (September 8, 2024). "Master P Salutes Kendrick Lamar as Super Bowl Headliner But Thinks Lil Wayne Should Be Part of Celebration Too". XXL . Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  30. ↑ Gee, Andre (September 9, 2024). "Nicki Minaj, Birdman, and More Slam Jay-Z Over Super Bowl Halftime Show". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  31. ↑ Johnson, Arianna (September 9, 2024). "Nicki Minaj And Others Seemingly Call Out Jay-Z For Picking Kendrick Lamar For Super Bowl Over Lil Wayne: What To Know". Forbes . Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  32. ↑ Sadler, Armon (September 11, 2024). "Fat Joe, Fabolous, And More Defend JAY-Z In Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Controversy". Vibe. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  33. ↑ Brown, Preezy (September 10, 2024). "Fabolous Defends JAY-Z Amid Scrutiny Over Super Bowl Halftime Show Headliner". Vibe. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  34. ↑ Williams, Aaron (September 11, 2024). "Fat Joe Thinks 'It'd Be No Hip-Hop' At The Super Bowl If Not For Jay-Z". Uproxx . Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  35. ↑ Coleman II, C. Vernon (September 11, 2024). "Jay Electronica Goes Off in Rant Defending Jay-Z, Calls Out People 'Slave Cooning Over a Football Game'". XXL. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  36. ↑ "Kendrick Lamar Deserves To Headline The 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show". HipHopDX . September 12, 2024. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  37. ↑ Sayles, Justin (September 8, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Is the Final Nail in Drake's Coffin". The Ringer . Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  38. 1 2 Dennis, David Jr. (September 9, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show announcement is bigger than his victory over Drake". Andscape . Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  39. ↑ Freeman, Mike (September 9, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar halftime show another example of Jay-Z influence on NFL owners". USA Today . Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  40. ↑ Mier, Tomás (November 22, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar's Surprise New Album 'GNX' Is Here". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  41. ↑ Krueger, Jonah (November 22, 2024). "Song of the Week: Kendrick Lamar Takes No Prisoners on "wacced out murals"". Consequence . Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  42. ↑ "Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show (Live) - Single by Kendrick Lamar". Spotify . February 9, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  43. ↑ "Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl half-time show was one big tease". BBC. February 10, 2025. Retrieved February 19, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  44. 1 2 3 4 "Every surprise celebrity guest in Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show". The Independent. February 10, 2025. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  45. ↑ Coleman, Ryan (February 9, 2025). "Samuel L. Jackson surprises as emcee of Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl 2025 halftime show". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  46. ↑ "Review: Kendrick Lamar brings America and 'Not Like Us' into history-making Super Bowl halftime show". AP News. February 10, 2025. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  47. ↑ Tharpe, Frazier (February 9, 2025). "Watching Kendrick Lamar Live in New Orleans". GQ .
  48. ↑ "Serena Williams adds star power to Kendrick Lamar's halftime show". ESPN.com. February 10, 2025. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  49. ↑ "Serena Williams crip walks at surprise Super Bowl appearance". BBC. February 11, 2025. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  50. ↑ Jeyaretnam, Miranda (February 10, 2025). "The Meaning Behind Serena Williams Dancing During the Super Bowl Halftime Show". Time . Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  51. ↑ Gayle, Latoya (February 10, 2025). "Serena Williams Has the Last Laugh with Her Surprise Super Bowl Moves as She Claps Back at Past Wimbledon Criticism". People . Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  52. ↑ Breech, John (February 10, 2025). "Protester crashes Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show overcoming heavy security to get on field". CBSSports.com. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  53. ↑ Henderson, Cyndney (February 10, 2025). "Protestor crashes Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl halftime show; tackled by security on field". www.aol.com. USA Today . Retrieved February 10, 2025– via AOL.
  54. ↑ "Super Bowl halftime performer detained after unfurling Sudanese-Palestinian flag". AP News . February 10, 2025. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  55. ↑ "Super Bowl halftime performer won't face charges for flag protest". ABC News . February 10, 2025. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  56. ↑ "Did Kendrick Lamar diss Donald Trump too with Drake at the Super Bowl? Fans decode hidden messages in his halftime show". The Economic Times. February 11, 2025. ISSN   0013-0389 . Retrieved February 21, 2025.
  57. ↑ France, Lisa Respers (February 10, 2025). "How Drake lost worse than the Chiefs at the Super Bowl". CNN . Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  58. ↑ Sherman, Maria (February 9, 2025). "Review: Kendrick Lamar brings America and 'Not Like Us' into history-making Super Bowl halftime show". Associated Press . Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  59. ↑ Caramanica, Jon. "Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Halftime Show: The Peak of All Rap Battles?". The New York Times.
  60. ↑ Beaumont, Mark. "Kendrick Lamar's Drake-baiting was a smokescreen – his Super Bowl show represented a righteous nation baring its teeth". The Independent.
  61. ↑ Wolfson, Sam. "Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl half-time show review – game over for Drake". The Guardian.
  62. ↑ Madden, Sidney (February 9, 2025). "Kendrick Lamar brought West Coast hip hop, Uncle Sam and Serena Williams to the Super Bowl". NPR. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  63. ↑ Ruggieri, Melissa (February 10, 2025) [February 9, 2025]. "Kendrick Lamar's fierce Super Bowl halftime show elevates Drake feud, makes history". USA Today .
  64. ↑ "America Has a Problem: Unpacking Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl symbolism". Dazed Media. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  65. ↑ Jokic, Natasha. "17 Easter Eggs And Small Details From Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Halftime Show". BuzzFeed. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  66. ↑ "'40 Acres and a Mule': Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl 59 Wasn't Just for Drake When Donald Trump Was His Real Target". FandomWire. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  67. ↑ "What Was Kendrick Lamar's Symbolic Message During Super Bowl Halftime Show?". Newsweek . February 10, 2025. Retrieved February 14, 2025.
  68. ↑ Clark, Tiana (February 14, 2025). "Kendrick Lamar's Halftime Show Was Radically Political, if You Knew Where to Look". The New York Times .
  69. ↑ Nancy Armour (February 10, 2025). "Opinion: Super Bowl a rejection of Trump's vision for America". USA Today .
  70. ↑ Obias, Rudie (February 9, 2025). "Super Bowl Apple Music Halftime Show 2025: Where to Stream Kendrick Lamar's Performance Online Free". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 9, 2025.
  71. ↑ Bassam, Tom (March 23, 2021). "The NFL's new broadcast rights deals: Billions of dollars, evolving contracts and streaming plans". SportsPro. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  72. ↑ A Statue Facts: Michael's All Wax - Guinness World Records. The Vindicator. May 20, 1993. p. 15. Jackson was also saluted for performing in front of one of the largest TV audiences ever, 133.4 million viewers during halftime at the 1993 Super Bowl.
  73. ↑ Rizzo, Lillian (February 11, 2025). "Super Bowl 59 attracts record 127.7 million viewers". CNBC. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  74. ↑ Lamarre, Carl (February 9, 2025). "Kendrick Lamar Caps Off Victory Lap With Searing Super Bowl Halftime Show Featuring SZA, Samuel L. Jackson & More". Billboard . Retrieved February 10, 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.