Comment|Even at the beginning of the year, Kendrick Lamar would hardly have been chosen as the star performer of the Super Bowl, writes HS culture reporter Anna-Maija Lippu.
On to the next one The Super Bowl is still half a year away, but the halftime show performer has already been announced.
American football viewers and the rest of the world will be entertained next February by a rapper Kendrick Lamar.
The choice is a bit surprising, and I can only think of one reason for it. It’s another rapper: Drake.
Lamar has a large and award-winning music catalog, but he hasn’t really been on the rise in a couple of years. Until he decided to mouth Drake and J. Cole from a throw pronounced with a joint piece.
First Person Shooter started from the song and continued throughout the spring “beef”, where the rappers mocked each other. J. Cole pulled out of the game in the beginning, but Drake and Lamar continued to starve each other with lyrics.
Canadian rapper Drake released several songs insulting Kendrick Lamar in the spring.
May in the beginning, the internet collectively declared the beef over when Lamar released a megahit that emptied the barn Not Like Us. The song was witty, funny and cutting in its lyrics, but also really catchy in terms of production.
Drake’s jab sparked a new frenzy in Lamar, which he unleashed on that song. Fans and social media were suddenly eating out of Lamar’s hand.
“Beef songs” rarely reach mass popularity, but Not Like Us rocked at the top of the charts in the early summer. Lamar got the last word in the argument and became the talk of the town.
This was also noticed by whoever decides the Super Bowl performers, because on Sunday Lamar was announced as the performer of next year’s halftime show.
Half time stage is one of the most important entertainment stages in the United States.
The Super Bowl averages over 100 million viewers, and is almost every time the most watched TV broadcast of the year in the United States.
The half-time show, which has become an expected entertainment spectacle, sometimes gathers even more viewers than the football game itself. The performers’ record sales and streaming numbers have gone up.
Half-time performers in recent years have included, among others Usher, Rihanna, The Weeknd, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez.
Lamar is actually performing at halftime for the second time. In 2022 he shared the stage with other hip-hop legends such as Dr. Dren, Snoop Dogg’s and Eminem’s with. Now he gets on board alone as the
main performer, although visitors are expected.
Lamar’s the choice as a performer is special, because his music is not the most festive. Of course he has Not Like Us such as going hits like All right and Money Treesbut mostly Lamar is known for his relatability and handling of serious topics.
He will certainly put on an energetic show, but it will hardly be a danceable entertainment number for the whole family like in recent years.
Even at the beginning of the year, Lamar would hardly have been chosen for the wash, but the playful diss track changed the course of the universe.
Somewhere in the corner of his mansion, Drake is banging his fist on the wall.
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