Sunday’s Super Bowl will answer several questions for football fans and casual viewers alike. Can the Kansas City Chiefs become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowl titles? Will Saquon Barkley prove that the running back position still matters? How will Kendrick Lamar perform a song that accuses Drake of being a pedophile in front of a national audience of more than 100 million viewers? While Kendrick Lamar might not be as high-profile as recent Super Bowl halftime performers like Usher, Rihanna, Eminem, and Dr. Drew, the 37-year-old Compton native is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing acts in recent memory. His ascent from critically acclaimed rapper to A-list celebrity coincided with a high-profile feud with Drake, culminating in the smash hit diss track “Not Like Us,” where Lamar accuses the Toronto native of being a pedophile.
Lamar’s selection as the halftime performer at this Sunday’s Super Bowl raised eyebrows, with many wondering how he’ll approach performing the song during the most-watched event of the year. This anticipation grew alongside the defamation lawsuit that Drake filed against Universal Music Group regarding the song. According to TMZ, Kendrick Lamar is expected to perform “Not Like Us” during the halftime show, with the level of censorship being determined by the lawyers.
Lawyers from both the NFL and Fox will review the lyrics to ensure nothing could cause issues with the FCC. Given Drake’s ongoing litigation concerning the song, additional concerns arise, including potential political ramifications, as discussed in the latest edition of The A Block newsletter. As reported by TMZ, the critical decision for the lawyers is whether to broadcast the lyrics that allegedly defame Drake, risking a potential lawsuit.
Once Kendrick Lamar performs the song—likely pre-recorded—both the NFL and Fox will have separate censors on standby for the broadcast, which will air on a five-second delay. Notably, CBS faced a similar issue during this past Sunday’s Grammy Awards, ultimately choosing to include the portion of the song where Lamar refers to Drake as a “certified pedophile” after his victory for Record of the Year.
KENDRICK LAMAR WINS RECORD OF THE YEAR FOR “NOT LIKE US”
AND THE WHOLE ARENA WAS SINGING ALONG WHEN WE WENT UP TO THE STAGE
LMFAOOOOO#GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/RYaCh0Sk3W
— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) February 3, 2025
While rehearsals for the Super Bowl halftime show are expected to take place Thursday, we won’t know until Sunday how Kendrick Lamar and the NFL will address the performance. For now, the only certainty is that Drake will be among the millions watching closely on Sunday.
