New Orleans, USA – Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show at Super Bowl LIX has not only set a new viewership record but has also reignited the conversation around his high-profile feud with fellow rapper Drake.
Lamar’s performance attracted an unprecedented 133.5 million viewers, surpassing the long-standing record held by Michael Jackson’s 1993 Super Bowl show, which drew 133.4 million viewers.
The music at this year’s halftime show was just as important as the continuing battle between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Lamar, whose song “Not Like Us” had just won five Grammys, including Record and Song of the Year, utilized the Super Bowl platform to further cement his dominance in the country’s music scene.
Lamar gave a censored rendition of “Not Like Us,” a song that has been at the heart of his rivalry, as part of the performance.
The event was peppered with special guests, including Samuel L. Jackson, SZA, and even tennis star Serena Williams, whose appearance some interpreted as a playful jab at Drake, given their past romantic links.
Lamar’s set was filled with his signature hard-hitting lyrics and commentary on social issues, but it was the references to his conflict with Drake that caught the public’s attention.
Fans praised Lamar’s strategic use of the Super Bowl as a platform to solidify his stature in hip-hop, while others playfully speculated on Drake’s next move, considering his own history of using public platforms for lyrical jabs.
Lamar’s legacy in music is cemented with this Super Bowl halftime performance. The public’s infatuation with Lamar’s artistic abilities and the drama surrounding his battle with Drake is evident in the record-breaking viewership, which sustains the discourse well after the game’s final whistle.
