During intermission of Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, Kendrick Lamar took the stage to headline the Apple Music halftime show.
The 22-time Grammy Award-winner opened with Samuel L. Jackson as “Uncle Sam” introducing the show and serving as the narrator throughout the performance. Lamar started with his track “Bodies,” followed by “squabble up,” from his latest album, “GNX.” With an Americana theme, he crafted a set that was as compelling visually as it was sonically, keeping true to his preshow promise that the performance would tell a thoughtful story.
“I’ve always been very open about storytelling through all my catalog and my history of music,” Lamar said at a news conference Thursday. “… Whether it’s a world tour or whether it’s 500 people at Key Club, I like to always … make people listen, but also see and think a little.”
Tennis legend Serena Williams had a cameo in the performance during “Not Like Us.” Williams and Lamar share the same hometown of Compton, California.
From Compton to NOLA. @SerenaWilliams @KendrickLamar #AppleMusicHalftime pic.twitter.com/mnzuP7fJ1N
— NFL (@NFL) February 10, 2025
Lamar’s performance and Williams’ appearance earned praise from some of their biggest fans in the sports world.
Super Bowl halftime show babyyyyyyyyy pic.twitter.com/zufoSNdNhe
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) February 10, 2025
Let’s go Super Bowl halftime??! I died a little! 💃🏿 pic.twitter.com/MxEZTl7NUv
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) February 10, 2025
10/10. plus serena. chefs kiss.
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) February 10, 2025
loved the show and serena ate that. I love rap music and hip hop culture man. shoutout to sza too & K dot 🐐 🔥 and #SamuelLJackson narrating was just chef kiss. well thought out
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) February 10, 2025
Serena crip walkin to it?!?
— Sydney Colson (@SydJColson) February 10, 2025
we’ve seen Serena do this before 😉 https://t.co/GTruqycgXz pic.twitter.com/1Tq7zzcSVf
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) February 10, 2025
that’s serena on the diss track wow @PatBevPod NFL is wild for this. must see TV
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) February 10, 2025
Serena I see you 🏹🏹🏹
— Brandin Cooks (@brandincooks) February 10, 2025