State Champ Radio kendrick lamar
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Serena Williams finally addressed all the chatter surrounding her appearance at the Super Bowl Halftime show during Kendrick Lamar’s performance, and people were definitely talking. Kendrick and Drake’s rap beef is well-known, and Serena’s been linked to Drake as “the one that got away.” So, having Serena show up during Kendrick’s set?
You already know that got the rumors flying. Some thought Serena was low-key throwing shade at Drake, making the whole situation sweeter for Kendrick.
The LA native wasn’t here for any of that. She hopped on social media to shut it down, saying, “Gosh I’m so late to the game (I’ve been sick) & busy investing in billion-dollar companies and running @WYNbeauty … def not dancing to be petty lol.” She made it clear that her presence wasn’t about stirring the pot. Serena was just enjoying the show while focusing on her own business moves and life.
With that, Serena ended all the speculation. No petty drama, just a queen doing her thing. She reminded us that she’s focused on winning in life, whether it’s on the court, in business, or just vibing at the Super Bowl. Serena’s clapback was a reminder that she’s too busy winning to get caught up in petty drama. She’s on a whole different level—focused on building her empire, whether it’s on the court, in business, or with WYN Beauty.
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Drake made a statement at his recent concert that had the whole crowd buzzing. While performing “Rich Flex,” the 6 God threw a DeMar DeRozan Raptors jersey into the stands, sending a loud message that his friendship with the NBA star was officially over. The tension between them had been building for a while, especially after DeRozan seemed to side with Kendrick Lamar in the middle of the beef between the two rappers.
DeRozan even joined Kendrick on stage during his pop-up concert, vibing to K Dot’s diss track “Not Like Us,” which was aimed directly at Drake. That move had fans questioning where DeRozan’s loyalty really lay. Things didn’t stop there. LeBron James, who’s usually been in Drake’s corner, was caught in warm-ups rapping along to Kendrick’s diss track word-for-word, and that only added more fuel to the fire.
Drake isn’t the type to let things slide, and he made it clear at his concert that he doesn’t rock with people who try to play both sides. So, when he tossed that DeRozan jersey, it wasn’t just for show—it was the end of that friendship. Drizzy doesn’t forget when people switch up, and the jersey toss was his way of letting DeRozan know it’s over. If LeBron keeps singing Kendrick’s diss, don’t be surprised if he gets the same treatment. Drake’s not about to let anyone take shots and play both sides—loyalty’s everything to the sensitive king.
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Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance was already historic, but it was his background dancer, Zul Qarnain, who stole the spotlight with a powerful political statement. As Kendrick rocked the stage, Zul used the massive platform of the Super Bowl to bring attention to the ongoing suffering in Gaza and Sudan.
Standing on top of a car, Zul pulled out both a Sudanese and Palestinian flag and waved them proudly, sending a clear message of solidarity. However, his peaceful protest was short-lived as security quickly tackled him and escorted him off the field. While he wasn’t arrested or charged with anything major, Zul was banned from attending any NFL events for life.
Zul Qarnain is no stranger to activism. He is the owner of the Open Book Platform, an initiative that unites Muslims and promotes peace. In his work, Zul has continuously tried to bridge divides, and he recently made headlines by visiting one of America’s most dangerous neighborhoods, Chicago’s “O-Block,” to reduce violence and help people turn toward faith.
His Super Bowl protest, though controversial, was an extension of his lifelong mission to raise awareness and encourage peace in places that need it most. Despite the consequences, Zul’s actions sparked conversation around global issues and demonstrated his commitment to using his platform for positive change.
Check out Hip-Hop Wired’s full conversation with Zul Qarnain:
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Joe Budden and Drake have engaged in friendly, and not-so-friendly back-and-forth jabs over the years but it appears that the on-and-off banter between the two is taking a new turn. On an episode of his eponymously named podcast, Joe Budden brushed off jabs from Drake that the Canadian rapper allegedly delivered from a Finsta page.
On Wednesday (Feb. 13), The Joe Budden Podcast addressed Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show performance, taking note of the Compton native’s artistry and attack in regards to the ongoing Drake feud and the impact of hearing “Not Like Us” and “tv off” on such a large stage.
Around 50 minutes in on episode 799 of Budden’s podcast, Dr. Marc Lamont Hill posed a question to his castmates regarding Lamar and pondered if the show was the final bow on the beef. Buddem pushed back with his observations of what occurred and things took off from there.
“Drake on Instagram now posting me,” Budden says slyly, referring to the @plottttwistttttt page rumored to be run by the Canadian superstar.
Budden continued, “Stop it, it’s over. My little walking out the [Madison Square] Garden smoking a little something. Don’t get your ass kicked for the last nine months then come back over here kee-keing. Nope!”
The “Pump It Up” star drove the point home further saying, “Drake, don’t shoot at me now that you ice cold. I’m not doing a back-and-forth with a corpse. I wanted to do it when you was lit. It was fun. Don’t go get shot all through the year and then pop up like Bernie at Weekend At Bernie’s wanting to shoot at me now.”
Check out the episode in question below. The discussion starts around the 48:00-minute mark in the video version versus the 50-minute mark on the audio.
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Photo: The Joe Budden Podcast
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We’re only a few weeks into 2025 but from the looks of things Kendrick Lamar has the Midas touch going for him as everything he touches turns to gold and with Captain America: Brave New World struggling to garner much buzz, it couldn’t be a better time to announce that Kung-Fu Kenny done contributed a little something-something to the upcoming Marvel film.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Captain America star, Anthony Mackie let it “slip” that the hottest revolutionary rapper in the world actually has a new song for the film’s soundtrack.
Say word?!
Casually talking about the film, Mackie revealed to ET that “Kendrick did the title song for my movie,” before catching himself and adding “Hope that’s not supposed to be a surprise!”
Well, it’s not a surprise anymore as heads are now curious to see what kind of bars Kendrick spits when rapping about a Black Captain America. As shocking as the revelation was, it actually makes sense as Kendrick did add a banger to the Black Panther soundtrack with the SZA assisted “All The Stars.” Now that Marvel is releasing another film with a Black superhero at the forefront, of course K. Dot would be lending his talents to such a project.
If at least a portion of the record 133 million viewers that tuned into Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show head to theaters just to hear what Kendrick laid down for the Captain America film, Marvel Studios is gonna make a pretty penny by the time it’s all said and done.
While fans are now eagerly awaiting the new Kendrick Lamar cut for Captain America: Brave New World, we at least won’t have to wait long as the film is set to hit theater this coming Friday (February 14).
Are you looking forward to seeing Captain America: Brave New World now that Kendrick Lamar crafted a new cut specifically for the film? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Streamers like Kai Cenat are known for their bold reactions, but his take on Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime performance raised some eyebrows. While reacting to Kendrick’s performance, Kai made a claim that caught many off guard. He suggested that the NFL added crowd noise behind Lamar’s performance to make the crowd’s reaction sound louder and more intense than it actually was.
Lamar’s halftime show was widely praised for its depth, artistry, and the way it brought hip-hop to the biggest stage. Fans saw it as a celebration of culture, and many argue it was one of the best Super Bowl performances ever. However, Kai’s comment, implying that the NFL enhanced the sound, caused an immediate uproar. He was quickly met with backlash from Kendrick Lamar fans who vehemently denied any fake crowd noise.
They argued that the raw emotion and energy of Kendrick’s performance was enough to elicit a powerful crowd reaction without any artificial help. Despite the controversy, Kai stood by his point, claiming that it was something he noticed while watching the show.
Despite the controversy, Kai stood by his point, claiming that it was something he noticed while watching the show. His statement led to heated discussions across social media platforms, with fans debating whether the NFL might have enhanced the sound for dramatic effect. While the debate rages on, it’s clear that Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance is still a defining moment in halftime show history.
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Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show performance will be dissected and discussed for weeks if not months on end, due to the easter eggs and cultural references throughout. Ahead of the rapper dropping the “Not Like Us” diss track, Kendrick Lamar opened up with a verse referencing “40 Acres and a Mule” to introduce the song as it built to its epic opening.
Kendrick Lamar rapped the lines, “40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music. They tried to rig the game, but you can’t fake influence,” each stanza punctuated by the keyboard stabs from DJ Mustard’s production. The line has many wondering what “40 acres and a mule” means and with this being Black History Month, we’re offering our brief explainer of the line.
The “40 acres and a mule” is a phrase that refers to a section of Special Field Orders, No. 15 issued by Union General William Tecumseh Sherman in 1865 after slavery was officially abolished via the 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. With the Union Army poised to vanquish the Confederate soldiers in the U.S. Civil War, Gen. Sherman’s declaration to divvy up land owned by the Confederacy to formerly enslaved Black people was a promise that became upended by the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.
With Andrew Johnson taking control of the White House in succession, the promise was dismissed with the land going back to the original owners. Historians note that this takeback began a long and systemically planned series of maneuvers to keep Black people from ascending to the same level as their white counterparts, even during the largely fruitful yet brief period of Reconstruction. Today, proponents of reparation for the descendants of Black slaves in America point to this broken promise as grounds to advance their cause.
A small handful of individuals did receive land under the special field order, especially in southeastern Virginia, and parts of South Carolina including coastal lands, but those efforts were met with roadblocks eventually held up by President Johnson rescinding the offer.
Kendrick Lamar employed deeply symbolic messages throughout his performance, with many believing his American Flag-influenced backdrop, the including of Samuel L. Jackson as a brash and outspoken Uncle Sam, and the Compton native’s unrelenting focus on platforming Black music and culture was an indictment of recent political happenings.
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Naturally, many pundits, including those in right-wing media circles and even in the mainstream, have little understanding of why Jackson as Uncle Sam was pivotal to the performance and harkened back to Lamar’s loving ode and dire warning to Black America via his acclaimed third studio album, To Pimp A Butterfly.
Given the themes of some of his past releases, it could be assumed that Lamar is a champion of reparations or, further, a champion of Black excellence and perseverance despite the broken promises of 40 Acres and a Mule. Regardless of where the intent truly lay, America, especially those who have endured despite being mostly frozen out from the dream of having our own, definitely took notice.
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Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show was one for the ages as it tackled the social political climate in the United States today while continuing to throw dirt on the grave where Drake’s popularity currently lies, and while most of the culture was able to pick up on the symbolism and metaphors that the show presented, a lot of viewers simply didn’t.
Unfortunately, it seems like NBA superstar and future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant was one of those viewers who allegedly didn’t comprehend what Kendrick Lamar was telling the masses and dismissed the entire Super Bowl as “boring.” This past Monday (Feb. 10), Dana Scott of The Arizona Republic asked the Slim Reaper about his opinion on K. Dot’s Super Bowl Halftime Show and his performance of “Not Like Us” and without batting an eye KD simply shook his head and responded with “Meant nothing to me.”
Scott then brought up Durant’s previous statement in which he said Drake was “great,” as the reasoning behind his question about his thoughts on Kendrick’s performance. Durant went on to say “No thoughts. I ain’t really pay attention to it to be honest. It was a pretty boring game as far as the Super Bowl… The game got outta hand. The Super Bowl Halftime Show it was just… I ain’t pay attention to it. I kinda skimmed through the whole thing to be honest.”
KD just made Drake happy with that response.
https://x.com/iam_DanaScott/status/1889066473517412814
Still, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone as Kevin Durant and Drake do seem to have some history together as Drizzy has name dropped Kevin Durant in one of his past songs, “No Face.”
https://x.com/ComplexMusic/status/1827123996682547316
KD for his part has also showed love to Drizzy on his social media account, so y’all already know the man isn’t going to join in on the bashing of Drake regardless of what he may think of the situation.
https://x.com/realalmightee/status/1861490029303832813
Well, at least Drake does have a few loyal friends left in the game.
What do y’all think about Kevin Durant’s response to Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Kendrick Lamar and his current status in the industry is no longer a mystery after taking home several Grammy Awards trophies on the back of his smash “Not Like Us” single. While performing the hit at the halftime show during Super Bowl LIX, Kendrick Lamar’s grin and stare during the “Say Drake” line is currently getting the meme treatment on X.
The grand spectacle of the Super Bowl LIX halftime show is still front of mind for many some two days later. Featuring Samuel L. Jackson in the role of Uncle Sam, a C-walking Serena Williams, and vocal features from SZA, the production was amazing and Kendrick Lamar sounded in tip-top shape. During the set, Lamar teased “Not Like Us” and even mentioned Drake’s reported legal moves in getting the song shut down alleging baked numbers and other unfavorable maneuvers by UMG.
The next to last song in his set, “Not Like Us” got the requisite reaction from the crowd after it appeared it wouldn’t happen. With the crowd rapping almost in unison, Lamar rapped into the camera the lyrics that started the latest meme trend on X.
From “Not Like Us”:
Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young
You better not ever go to cell block one
To any b*tch that talk to him and they in love
Just make sure you hide your lil sister from him
With the moment now frozen in time, fans on X are sharing gifs and memes captioned “Say Drake” along with taking other shots at the Canadian superstar, who is currently on his Anita Max tour in Australia and New Zealand.
During the tour, Drizzy seemingly acknowledged the aftermath of the beef, donning a hoodie riddled with bullet holes and engineered smoke coming from said holes to signify all the damage he took during the battle with Kendrick Lamar.
On X, Drake’s name is trending mentioning Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl jab and more. Check out those reactions below.
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Yes, you read that right.
Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show was hands down one of the Blackest moments of 2025. In just 13 minutes, he flipped Gil Scott-Heron’s The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, seemingly took aim at Trump, and delivered a powerful American story—all while throwing lyrical haymakers at Drake.
Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty
The Black Pride and Political Messaging
Let’s start with the deeper themes. The entire performance felt like a message to Drake, but it also paid homage to Spike Lee’s Bamboozled. Samuel L. Jackson, playing the role of Uncle Sam, wasn’t just a jab at Drake and the industry—it was also a shot at the executives and critics who wanted Kendrick to dial down his relentless lyrical assault on Drizzy. It even took aim at those who dismissed Lamar as doing Civil Rights Rap—as if calling out injustice is a bad thing.
Jackson’s narration made that clear when he introduced Lamar saying, “It’s your Uncle…Sam, and this is the great American game.” The line exposed how America polices Black artistic expression, punctuated by Jackson’s follow-up: “Too ghetto”—right before his mic was cut.
The symbolism didn’t stop there. The American flag served as a double entendre: a reminder that the country was built on the backs of enslaved Black people, but also a critique of how racism continues to divide. Lamar’s dancers even wore outfits reminiscent of The Mau Maus, the militant culture purists in the film Bamboozled, underscoring his message about protecting Black culture from exploitation.
Then came the “Not Like Us” moment. Looking his dancers dead in the eye, Lamar declared: “This is bigger than the music.” Highlighting the phrase—40 acres and a mule—refers to the unfulfilled reparations promise from 1865, a theme Lamar has touched on before in To Pimp a Butterfly. In the song “Wesley’s Theory,” he rapped about the illusion of prosperity for Black Americans: “What, you want you a house or a car? / Forty acres and a mule, a piano, a guitar?” By bringing it to the Super Bowl stage, he made it clear: the fight for equity isn’t over—especially in his home state of California, where reparations debates are ongoing—hence the sign in the crowd saying “wrong way” because he was speaking up in a sanitized forum.
WARNING WRONG WAY! Nothing but respect for Kendrick 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/hnxCXlIr8C
— ECP408 (@ecp408) February 10, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The Direct Shots at Drake
Now Let’s discuss the direct jabs at Drake.
During the performance, Lamar teased the crowd with the possibility of performing his Drake diss and L.A. anthem, “Not Like Us.”
“I want to play their favorite song, but you know they love to sue,” he quipped, referencing Drake’s defamation lawsuit. As the beat dropped, Lamar flashed a sly smile and rapped, “Say, Drake, I hear you like ‘em young,” before letting the audience complete the lawsuit-inspiring line—”certified pedophile.” The litigious remark comes after Drake took his issues with “Not Like Us” to court, in January filing a federal lawsuit against Universal Music Group over the diss track that accuses him of being a pedophile, allegedly.
Midway through, Lamar locked eyes with the camera and dropped another bombshell: “They tried to rig the game, but you can’t fake influence.” The line was widely seen as a response to Drake’s lawsuit against Universal Music Group, which accuses the label of helping spread the allegations fueling “Not Like Us.” With that one line, Lamar dismissed both the lawsuit and any industry attempts to undermine his influence.
The Subtle (and Not-So-Subtle) Jabs
Despite its deep cultural messaging, Lamar’s performance was full of layered shots, including the set designed as a giant PlayStation controller—pointing to Sony, the parent company of Drake’s label, OVO as he was literally controlling the narrative while fueling conspiracy theories about hidden messages.
And then there was Serena Williams. The tennis legend hit the C-walk on the X button to “Not Like Us”—a callback to the backlash she faced for using the dance to celebrate her Olympic gold medal win in 2012. This wasn’t just shade at Drake, but also a broader message about respectability politics and Black joy being policed.
Lamar closed with an electrifying performance of “tv off” with DJ Mustard, bringing the show full circle. The track’s message? Stop getting distracted—wake up to reality. And, of course, it doubled as a parting shot at Drake and J. Cole’s “First Person Shooter,” proving once again that Lamar plays the biggest game of all.
The Bigger Picture
Before the big night, Lamar told Apple Music that his performance would be culturally significant and an evolution of everything he’s done before. He wasn’t lying. The internet is still dissecting every line, every symbol, every move. But as Jay-Z said back in 2001, “You fools don’t listen to music, you just skim through it.”
Kendrick wasn’t just putting on a show. He was making history.
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*Respectfully.
