Kendrick Lamar Hints at ‘Storytelling’ in Super Bowl Performance

Kendrick Lamar on Feb. 2.  Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

American rapper Kendrick Lamar is about to soar to one of his greatest heights yet.

Lamar is the featured artist for Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show.

The rapper recently won five Grammy Awards, including Song and Record of the Year for his hit single “Not Like Us.”

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He was asked what fans may anticipate from his act during a rare interview at the Apple Music Super Bowl press conference on Thursday.

“Telling stories,” Lamar remarked. “Throughout my whole collection and musical career, I have always been quite transparent about sharing stories. And I’ve always been passionate about delivering that to whatever stage I perform on.”

Fans of the rapper are excited, but they are also curious about how he will respond to “Not Like Us,” considering its content and the ongoing legal dispute around the song.

Kendrick Lamar (News Central TV)
Kendrick Lamar at the Grammy Awards on Sunday. Credit: Francis Specker/CBS

The song was part of Lamar and Drake’s viral rap feud from the previous year, which resulted in a challenging court battle.

According to Leah Stevenson, an entertainment lawyer with the MGL Law firm, what started as a feud between two of the top hip-hop singers became much more.

She told CNN, “This song became a much larger conversation for America about standing on morals, standing on values, on the beliefs that we have, and on the way that we move.” The song has grown much beyond a simple diss battle, as people began using it in significant cultural moments.”

Lamar will be the centre of attention when he performs in front of millions of people at the Super Bowl for this reason and more.

“Not Like Us” has played a significant role in the lead-up to Sunday’s Super Bowl game, which is being held in New Orleans this year. There has been no avoiding what is now possibly the most well-known diss music to ever hit the charts, as it was played in the media centre, throughout Monday’s opening night event, and as part of the NFL’s Super Bowl Experience.

On a venue that has a reputation for controversy, Lamar, whom his fans call KDot, is about to play for his largest crowd. Many halftime show moments have gone viral, from Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction” in 2004 to M.I.A. flipping the bird in 2012 and Beyoncé’s Black Panther-inspired performance in 2016.

However, Lamar sees “Not Like Us” as more than just a shrewd critique of another musician.

In an interview with friend and collaborator SZA for Harper’s Bazaar in October, Lamar stated, “‘Not Like Us’ is the energy of who I am, the type of man I represent.” “Now, if you feel a connection to the man I represent… morals, values, beliefs, and principles are all possessed by this man. He’s not giving in.

According to the Compton, California resident, “he’s a man who can recognise his mistakes and not be afraid to share the mistakes and can dig deep into fear-based ideologies or experiences to be able to express them without feeling like he’s less of a man.

“I think of myself and whoever identifies with that when I think of ‘Not Like Us.'”

SZA will be a special guest at Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance.

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