Culture / Music

The best internet reactions to Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl halftime performance

The best internet reactions to Kendrick Lamar headlining the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show

The day is finally here: Grammy and Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar is headlining the Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans .

Lamar already appeared in the hip-hop heavy 2022 halftime show starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and 50 Cent, but now he's making history as the first rapper to headline solo, bringing his unparalleled lyrical prowess and storytelling to one of the world’s biggest stages.

Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl moment feels like a full-circle triumph, especially for fans who have followed his rise from good kid, m.A.A.d city to DAMN., watching him evolve into one of the most influential artists of our generation. His ability to blend political commentary with chart-topping hits makes this moment both highly anticipated and necessary.

But there's a twist—his beef with Drake, one of rap's other reigning kings, adds an interesting layer of drama. Their rivalry, which has brewed under the surface for years, came to a head this year with both embroiled in a back-and-forth of diss tracks, the most notable of which was Lamar's Not Like Us (which made it all the way to the US Billboard's top spot). And, as predicted the Super Bowl half time show has proven yet another opportunity for Lamar to launch a diss at the Canadian singer.

The reactions to the halftime performance have been explosive. Not only was the celebrity-filled audience at the actual performance clearly enjoying Lamar's sonic stylings, but the internet — from fans to critics and haters — had a lot to say too. As with everything involving Kendrick Lamar, the Super Bowl halftime performance has evolved from than just entertainment, but a culture-defining moment. Below, Check out the best internet reactions to Kendrick Lamar headlining the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show.

 

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