When Usher took the stage at the 2024 Super Bowl, it was unclear of which artist would get an opportunity to follow the R&B legend. At that moment, Kendrick Lamar was not viewed as a top prospect to be named as the 2025 Super Bowl Haltftime Show performer.
2023 was a year of perpetration for Kendrick Lamar. He had not released an album since 2022 (Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers), he only participated in one interview which took place in Paris, and he was on the final leg of his world tour.
But within a month following Usher’s exuberant Super Bowl performance, Kendrick Lamar would go on a run that would change the course of hip-hop history.
On March 26, 2024, Kendrick would serve as the featured rapper on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That,” throwing out bait for a rap battle with the rap lyric,”[Forget] the big three, it’s just big me.” Kendrick Lamar mentioned anyone by name, but the lyric was a shot at rap superstar Drake.
For over a decade, Kendrick Lamar and Drake were involved in a rivalry that mostly unfolded through subliminal lyrics from both parties. In 2014, Drake allegedly did an interview on ESPN where he spoke unfavorably about Kendrick Lamar. Former ESPN talent Marcellus Wiley claimed that the vitriol spewed by Drake was so bad that the sports news network decided not to air the clip.
It would only be a matter of time before Kendrick Lamar and Drake would engage in a full rap battle.
Rap battles, when done right, is like a sport that serves as a test of skill, credibility, and authenticity. It can also be viewed through the lens of a political debate where both sides aim to discredit the other. Legendary rap battles include, The Fantastic 5 vs. The Cold Crush Brothers, Roxanne Shante vs. UTFO, KRS-One vs. MC Shan, LL Cool J vs. Kool Moe Dee, Ice Cube vs. N.W.A., and Nas vs. Jay-Z.
But the rap battle between Kendrick Lamar and Drake would stand out as the most impactful in rap history.
Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” stands as the magnum opus of all rap battles, winning top Grammy Awards and laying down a foundation for the Super Bowl Halftime show.
This rivalry, and Lamar’s eventual victory, parallels some of the NFL’s most iconic rivalries that transcend the field and leave a lasting cultural impact. Packers vs. Bears, Patriots vs. Colts during the Brady-Manning years, or Falcons vs. Saints. Those rivalries fueled drama both on and off the field.
The 2025 Super Bowl, featuring a rematch between the Chiefs and Eagles, is setting the stage for a new chapter in NFL rivalries. As the teams face-off on the field, Kendrick’s performance will highlight the fierce, larger-than-life competition that defines both sports and music.
Days before Kendrick Lamar’s big game performances, he spoke about rap being a sport and named multiple prominent artists who are known as battle rappers.
“My intent, I think from day one, was to keep the nature of it as a sport,” Kendrick Lamar said. “I don’t care how [people] look at it as far as like a collaborative effort. That’s cool too, but I love when artists grit they teeth. I still watch battle raps, I still watch Smack URL from Murda Mook to Lux to Tay Roc, my bro Daylyt. This always been the core definition of who I am, and it’s been that way since day one.”
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