Kendrick Lamar: Mixed Reactions trail Super Bowl Halftime performance as Grammy winner disses Drake yet AGAIN

The 2025 Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans was always going to be memorable, with Grammy winner Kendrick Lamar at the helm. 

But the performance has sparked mixed reactions, dividing fans and critics alike.

Fresh off his Grammy wins for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, Lamar hit the stage at the Caesars Superdome ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles' victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Despite the anticipation, many fans were left unimpressed, with some branding the show as the "worst halftime performance ever."

Lamar began his set atop a car, delivering his controversial hit, 'Not Like Us', which famously disses his long-time rival, Drake.

 The song's lyrics, accusing Drake of being a "certified pedophile," have sparked legal battles and intense debates. 

While Lamar performed the track, he conspicuously omitted the controversial word, cheekily telling the crowd, "I want to perform their favourite song, but you know they love to sue."

The performance wasn’t without theatrics.

Hollywood icon Samuel L. Jackson introduced Lamar dressed as “Uncle Sam,” adding gravitas to the spectacle.

 R&B star SZA later joined Lamar, and the duo performed hits from their collaboration, but the focus remained on Lamar’s digs at Drake.

Lines like “Say Drake, I hear you like them young” and “Trying to strike a chord and it’s probably a minor” reignited the feud.

Lamar’s jewellery also caught attention—a silver pendant with the letter "a," a subtle nod to his lyric about “A minor,” which fans interpreted as another jab at Drake.

Drake’s rumoured ex and Tennis legend Serena Williams was also not left out of the action, hitting the stage to hit the crip walk with so much energy.

Reactions to the show were polarised. 

While some hailed Kendrick’s lyricism and audacity, others criticised the performance as overshadowed by his ongoing feud with Drake.

“Kendrick. Brilliant,” one fan wrote on social media. 

Meanwhile, another added, “Never beef with Kendrick.”

However, not everyone was impressed.

 “The halftime show was more about Drake than Kendrick,” a user remarked. 

“There was a real opportunity for Kendrick to separate himself from this dragged-on beef and move forward.” 

Another slammed the set, saying, “This Kendrick halftime show is the worst I’ve ever seen.”

Peep some other reactions below: