While many fans tuned into Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show performance in anticipation of his performance of Not Like Us – a song that took aim at Drake amid their longstanding rap beef – eagle-eyed fans noticed he seemed to take a dig at someone else.
Donald Trump was in the audience for this year’s game, making him the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl.
On Sunday, Kendrick took the Caesars Superdome stage in New Orleans during halftime to perform a string of his biggest hits, including DNA, Squabble Up, and Humble, accompanied by singer SZA and DJ Mustard, fresh from winning big at this year’s Grammys last week, taking home five awards for Not Like Us.
Actor Samuel L. Jackson, dressed as Uncle Sam, introduced the rapper, and reappeared throughout the show, interrupting him between songs, and at one point told Kendrick he’s “too ghetto” for the Super Bowl.
One social media user on X, formerly Twitter, interpreted the significance of the moment amid Trump’s efforts to end diversity, equity and inclusion (diversity, equity and inclusion) programs in America.
“Samuel l jackson as uncle sam, the personification of america, telling kendrick his performance is ‘too ghetto’ and then it cutting to kendrick’s all-black backup dancers arranged as the american flag all while That Man [Trump] is in attendance? kendrick i was not familiar with your game,” the X user wrote.
Another person wrote: “Donald Trump is forced to watch Samuel L Jackson, dressed as Uncle Sam, introduce Kendrick Lamar at the super bowl half time show after asking the NFL to not show the ‘End Racism’ In the End Zones is the Headline.”
The NFL removed the slogan “End Racism” from the field and replaced it with the phrase “Choose Love” — a move criticised by many, considering Trump’s moves to target DEI efforts.
The NFL addressed the decision in a statement.
“The Super Bowl is often a snapshot in time, and the NFL is in a unique position to capture and lift the imagination of the country,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said.
McCarthy continued: ”‘Choose Love’ is appropriate to use as our country has endured in recent weeks wildfires in southern California, the terrorist attack here in New Orleans, the plane and helicopter crash near our nation’s capital and the plane crash in Philadelphia.”
While Trump hasn’t publicly addressed Kendrick’s performance yet, CNN’s Brian Stelter reported that the president left his box at the Caesars Superdome shortly before the show ended.
This isn’t the first time Kendrick has called out Trump. He previously criticised him in his songs such as 2017′s The Heart Part 4 and XXX.
