While some have criticised the Compton rappers Half Time show performance, his rendition of Drake diss ‘Not Like Us’ left internet sleuths frantically interpreting ‘secret moments’
Recent Grammy winner and Compton born rapper Kendrick Lamar certainly didn’t hold back during his recent Super Bowl halftime performance, delivering an eye-catching rendition of his controversial hit, Drake diss track Not Like Us.
Just before launching into the Grammy award winning song, Lamar turned to his dancers, suggesting cheekily that “I want to perform their favourite song, but you know they love to sue.” Fans immediately took that as a reference to Drake’s ongoing legal drama surrounding the song, which he’s accused of being defamatory.
“Not Like Us” was released as the third of a trilogy of tracks criticising Canadian rapper Drake, with whom Kendrick has had a long-running beef, with lyrics commonly interpreted as accusing Drake’s crew of being “certified paedophiles” and suggesting they should be “registered and placed on neighbourhood watch.”
Drake’s legal team has already filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), claiming the song made false allegations and was part of a “viral hit” campaign. Lamar’s performance comes amid this legal mess, and he clearly wasn’t shying away from the controversy.
The DJ Mustard-produced anthem was undoubtedly the highlight of his Super Bowl halftime set in New Orleans. Introduced by actor Samuel L. Jackson, who was dressed as American icon Uncle Sam, Lamar performed a range of his biggest hits, from HUMBLE and DNA. to All the Stars with SZA, before teasing Not Like Us multiple times.
At first, he teased the cheering crowd with the song’s intro, only to pivot to other tracks from his latest album GNX. But after enough teasing, in the end he did perform the viral diss track.
While Lamar noticeably censored one of the song’s most controversial words, he kept much of the track intact, including the now-iconic line, “Trying to strike a chord and it’s probably A minorrrrr.”
The To Pimp A Butterfly and Good Kid MAAD city creator also sent social media into a spiral when he appeared to stare directly into the camera while performing the line ‘Hey Drake, I hear you like ’em young’, a lyric some have interpreted as suggesting Drake has a penchant for younger women.
Despite the ongoing lawsuit, Lamar didn’t hold back, bringing the house down with a performance that included some of his biggest hits like DNA., HUMBLE., and All the Stars with SZA. But it was Not Like Us that had everyone talking. Lamar hinted at performing it, teased the crowd, and then finally delivered a powerful version—though he did skip the word “paedophile.” The crowd went wild when he hit the infamous line, “Trying to strike a chord and it’s probably A minorrrrr.”
Kendrick’s performance also marked a massive year for him, with Not Like Us making waves and winning multiple Grammy Awards.