Ad Policy Kendrick Lamar performs during halftime of Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, February 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (Matt Slo

Kendrick Lamar, idealized as he is as the relative ascetic among his class of self-styled rap princes, is very much attracted to such power. What makes him unique is his relationship to it: the laurels he has won,

When Kendrick Lamar accepted the Grammy Award for Song of the Year for his chart-topping hit “Not Like Us,” he said, “This is what it’s about, man. Because at the end of the day, nothing is more powerful than rap music.

Kendrick Lamar performed hits including “Not Like Us” at the Super Bowl LIX halftime show, joined by Mustard, SZA and Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam.

The rapper insists he’s a musician, not a messiah—a message reinforced by his Super Bowl performance.

Kendrick Lamar said to expect “storytelling” during his halftime show, and he brought it, with help from some famous friends. He infused the proceedings with humor as well as the cutting American imagery he’s known for — another milestone performance after one of the rapper’s biggest years ever.

The American Heart Association gave Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" a shoutout for having the "perfect rate" to perform CPR compressions.