Music News

09 Feb 2025

Moral of Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl Halftime Show, According to Fans: ‘Never Beef With Kendrick’

There were a lot of messages woven throughout Kendrick Lamar‘s Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday night (Feb. 9). But the main message social media commentators took away from the spectacle was: Don’t mess with Kendrick Lamar.

Leading up to Super Bowl Sunday, a lot was made about whether Lamar would perform his Billboard Hot 100-topping Drake diss track “Not Like Us.” Not only does Drake have an ongoing lawsuit against Universal Music Group over the song, but there are some pretty crystal-clear accusations made in the lyrics. Lamar played around with that debate throughout the performance, but in the end, he performed the five-time Grammy-winning track — “A minor” shout-out and all.

The move had X users marveling at Lamar’s audacity, with one posting a photo of the rapper’s knowing smile at the camera with the caption: “The face of a true chaotic good. … Kendrick is a menace.” Alongside the same image, another X user wrote, “THIS MAN KENDRICK LAMAR JUST SMILED IN THE CAMERA AFTER COOKING DRAKE … LMFAOOOOOO.”

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Some fans were truly impressed with Lamar’s status as a petty king. “I know – as petty as I am, I’ll never be as petty as Kendrick,” X user Ali B wrote. “He is a North star of petty. An innovator when it comes to hating. An inspiration.” Another wrote alongside a GIF of a seething Goku from Dragon Ball Z: “Kendrick back stage summoning all of his hatred for this performance.”

Fellow rapper JPEGMAFIA declared, “It’s over. Never beef with kendrick.” Alongside a photo of the “GAME OVER” message illuminated in the Caesars Superdome crowd at the end of halftime, a user shared, “Kendrick killed it. Game over.”

See more reaction to Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl halftime show below.

09 Feb 2025

Doja Cat, LeBron James Lose Screen Time to Taco Bell Drive-Thru Fans in 2025 Super Bowl Commercial

Nearly 400 Taco Bell fans are the stars of the brand’s 2025 Super Bowl commercial, even though the familiar faces of Doja Cat and LeBron James make an appearance.

The 30-second, Dave Meyers-directed ad, which aired during the third quarter of the game Sunday (Feb. 9), is part of the company’s “Live Más at Taco Bell” campaign. More than 3,000 customers went through the Taco Bell drive-thru, and that footage was whittled down to the final Super Bowl Sunday cut. Just barely making the cut, it seems, were Doja and LeBron.

“Behold: A bunch of randos, not famous people,” a voice announces as screenshots of people at the Taco Bell drive-thru are shown.

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“Wait, what?” LeBron says.

“But I’m Doja—!” adds the rapper, popping her head out from her trailer.

“Yeah, but celebs don’t make Taco Bell Taco Bell. Fans do,” says the voice.

“How about now?” says Doja, who looks to be devouring a Mexican Pizza, only to be told, “Yeah, no.”

“Big Game commercials tend to only lean on big-name celebrities, but we decided to flip the approach knowing very well the best Taco Bell moments don’t need a script,” said Taco Bell chief marketing officer Taylor Montgomery in a statement released on Sunday. “Our fans bring incredible Live Más spirit to the drive-thru every day, with families, pets and celebrations in tow, so we’re putting them in the spotlight as a reminder that the most authentic representation of our brand isn’t staged — it’s lived.”

The celebs might have been upstaged in this particular clip, but it’s all good. They’re still into Taco Bell.

In 2022, Doja helped bring back Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza after she petitioned for the item to return to menu on social media and beyond.

“I’ve already made history with Taco Bell — you’re welcome for the Mexican Pizza comeback — so when I heard Taco Bell was featuring its biggest fans, I assumed that I would be part of the action,” Doja said back in January, when a teaser for the2025 Super Bowl commercial was released. “Don’t get me wrong, I should be the star, but my fellow Taco Bell fans really showed out … I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what happens during the Big Game.”

Watch Taco Bell’s Super Bowl ad starring Doja Cat and LeBron James below:

09 Feb 2025

Bianca Censori Voices Concern for Ye Over His Hate-Filled, Antisemitic Comments on X

Ye‘s wife, Bianca Censori, is apparently worried about the rapper, who’s been spewing out more hate-filled and inappropriate posts on X over the weekend — many of which have continued to express antisemitic views.

“Lord, I lift up my husband to You with love & concern,” she wrote on X late Saturday night (Feb. 8). “Soften his heart, guide his words, and fill him with wisdom and kindness. Protect him from trouble & lead him toward understanding & respect for all people. Despite our differences, I love him unconditionally. Strengthen our bond & help me be a source of patience & encouragement. I trust in Your grace to work in his heart. God Bless Israel and All The Good Jewish Pple. Amen.”

“Well, this confirms it’s him writing everything,” a follower commented on the statement. Censori replied with a sad face emoji.

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On Feb. 7, Censori posted another message that appeared to address Ye: “I respect that we may see things differently, but I personally cannot align with those antisemitic views. I believe in kindness and inclusivity for all people. I got you even in your worst moments.”

Ye’s most recent stream of thoughts on X have included praise of Hitler; a T-shirt design with a swastika, which he called his “greatest performance art piece thus far”; clips of his favorite pornographic videos, which autoplay and are uncensored on his feed; and posts about how “they are making an example out of Puff.” (He’s even selling a shirt with the name Sean John, in reference to Sean “Diddy” Combs.)

He’d previously posted in support of Diddy, who is currently in jail awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Censori and Ye had a controversial walk on the red carpet at the Grammys on Feb. 2. The model wore an extremely sheer, essentially transparent, dress that Ye described as a “Custom Couture Grammy dress for the most beautiful woman ever My love my best friend My wife” in an Instagram post the night of the awards show.

Days later, Ye added they’d “beat” the Grammys, and that “my wife is the most Googled person on the planet called Earth.” In another post, he said he’s “so lucky” to have a wife like Censori wearing an “invisible dress.”

“My wife’s first red carpet opened a whole new world. I keep staring at this photo like I was staring in admiration that night Thinking wow I am so lucky to have a wife that is so smart talented brave and hot,” Ye wrote on Feb. 6, alongside a photo of the transparent garment. “She took a break from shooting her first film to make a movie in real life We Tailored that invisible dress 6 times And just like magic poof we disappeared Thank you to all the outlets who recognized us and gave us back the energy we put in.”

Meanwhile, Censori posted the hashtag #PowerCouple and wrote on her X account, “When love shakes the internet, you know it’s real.”

09 Feb 2025

Kendrick Lamar Caps Off Victory Lap With Searing Super Bowl Halftime Show Featuring SZA, Samuel L. Jackson & More

After a triumphant Grammys night on Feb. 2 during which he clinched five awards — including the coveted record and song of the year for “Not Like Us” — hip-hop powerhouse Kendrick Lamar made his way to the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday (Feb. 9) to bask in his well-deserved victory lap at the Super Bowl 2025 Halftime Show.

As the Philadelphia Eagles unexpectedly surged ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs with a resounding 24-0 halftime lead, the stage was set for Lamar to electrify. With a birds-eye view of the stage, a massive tic-tac-toe board awaited viewers as they were greeted by Uncle Sam — well, Samuel L. Jackson. Dressed in a patriotic ensemble, the actor welcomed fans to “The Great American Game.”

Lamar began his lyrical exhibition by rapping to “Bodies” on top of a GNX. A frenetic Lamar is swarmed by an army of dancers dressed in red and white before segueing into his Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Squabble Up.” Flanked by his dancers, Lamar’s surgical precision and breath control remained on par until he reached the hook and is interrupted by Jackson. “No, no, no. Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto,” declared Jackson. “Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game? Then tighten up.”

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Lamar took heed of Jackson’s words of wisdom and entered a quick medley of 2015’s DAMN, during which he dishes out “Humble” and “DNA.” Lamar continued to blitz fans with surprises, mainly when he performed “Euphoria,” his searing diss track against Drake, which also doubles as a subtle sign that maybe he’d detonate “Not Like Us.” Shortly after, Lamar veered to a pseudo-street corner, where he rapped “Man in the Garden” in front of his homies to the disdain of Jackson.

“I see you brought your homeboys with you,” sneered the actor. “The old culture cheat code. Scorekeeper, deduct one life.”

Lamar kept the GNX buzz intact as the stage shapeshifted again, this time into the form of an X, where he performed “peekaboo.” “Ladies, I wanna make a move,” Lamar rapped to his female dancers before tantalizing them with “their favorite song.” The instrumental for “Not Like Us” hummed through the speakers. Instead of succumbing to the pressure, Lamar slowed things down and brought out his one-time TDE compatriot SZA for “Luther” and “All the Stars.”

“That’s what I’m talking about. That’s what America wants,” cheered Jackson. You’re almost there. Don’t mess this up.”

Jackson’s cautionary warning came on the heels of “Not Like Us,” as Lamar gave an impromptu freestyle, positioning his reasoning for ultimately performing the song. “You really ’bout to do it?/ Yeah, they tried to fake the game, but you can’t fake influence,” said Lamar before pressing go on “Not Like Us.” With the cameras focused on Lamar’s face, he didn’t lose eye contact and delivered the controversial verse with fury, name-dropping Drake and having the crowd rap back the now popular “a minor” line with fervor.

After “Not Like Us,” Lamar seamlessly pivoted to “TV Off,” with the song’s producer, Mustard, alongside him. The now-classic yell of “Mustard” reverberated through Caesars Superdome, allowing the rapper to cap off a monumental set with a lit-up sign reading “Game Over” set up in the crowd, punctuating his efforts.

The impact of Lamar’s performance is indisputable, leaving hip-hop and pop culture awestruck once again.

09 Feb 2025

SZA Adds 4 New Tracks to ‘SOS Deluxe: Lana’ Just Ahead of Super Bowl Halftime Performance

The world of SZA‘s SOS just keeps getting bigger, with the hitmaker adding four new tracks to her sophomore album’s Lana deluxe edition Sunday (Feb. 9) — just before her Super Bowl Halftime Show performance with Kendrick Lamar.

Tacked onto disc 1 of SOS Deluxe: Lana, the four new songs include “Joni” — a collaboration with Don Toliver — “Take You Down” and “PSA.” Also on the new tracklist is a solo version of “Open Arms,” which originally featured Travis Scott on the first iteration of SOS.

The new songs come more than two years after SOS was first released in December 2022, after which it spent 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. After SZA released the Lana deluxe version of the album in December 2024 — adding 15 new songs to the set — SOS returned to the top of the chart for an additional two weeks, bringing it to 12 total nonconsecutive weeks at the summit so far.

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About 10 days after Lana dropped, SZA told fans on X that she still wanted to retroactively add the new songs to the set. At the time, she expected them — plus updated mixes of songs already on the track list — to arrive Jan. 6, telling followers, “Thank yall for your patience.”

The added tracks also come just before SZA is expected to take the stage with Dot during the Compton rapper’s headlining halftime showcase midway through the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles game at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Lamar announced in late January that his longtime friend and frequent collaborator — with whom he most recently teamed up on “Luther” and “Gloria” on November album GNX — would be accompanying him on the field. The highly anticipated performance will serve as a precursor to their upcoming joint tour through North America, which will kick off in Minnesota April 19.

Listen to the four new songs on SOS Deluxe: LANA below.

09 Feb 2025

Taylor Swift Reacts to Crowd Seemingly Booing Her at 2025 Super Bowl

Taylor Swift showed up to the 2025 Super Bowl and seemingly faced a rude reaction from the crowd.

The pop star arrived at New Orleans’ Superdome on Sunday (Feb. 9) in a white blazer over a tank and denim shorts, and white over-the-knee boots. She held a small red handbag serving as a pop of “Chiefs” red, in support of the Kansas City team and Travis Kelce. By her side was her friend Ice Spice, making it the second year for the rapper to attend the big game with Swift.

While the two were seated at the game, which was broadcast on Fox, the Jumbotron camera panned toward Swift and other celebrities seen at the stadium. When the shot stopped on Swift, an apparent wave of “boos” could be heard — perhaps from Eagles supporters.

Swift’s reaction: a side eye, and a slight wince and laugh. In other words, she knew to shake it off. See it here.

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Plenty of fans had her back, including tennis pro Serena Williams, who wrote on X, “I love you @taylorswift13 dont listen to those booo!!”

Swift’s attendance at the Super Bowl for the second year in a row was expected, as she’s dating Kelce, tight end for the Chiefs. This year’s game has the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Philadelphia Eagles.

Though Kelce is the NFL star, the football player says he looks up to Swift’s athleticism. “Her work ethic, what I saw on that tour last year, was pretty remarkable,” he said at a pre-Super Bowl press conference. “It was the dancers, the band, the singers, it was everybody involved, and it was an absolute machine. It was something I could admire watching and take a lot of notes from.”

The night before the Super Bowl, Swift was spotted in New Orleans rocking a Penny Lane-style coat while going out to dinner with Danielle and Alana Haim, as well as Kylie Kelce. Swift’s parents were also seen at the restaurant. The Haim sisters were also seen at the game Sunday.

Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department finished 2024 as the most popular album of the year in the U.S., according to music data tracking company Luminate. Her record-setting Eras Tour, which wrapped in December, grossed more than $2 billion and sold over 10 million tickets.

See Swift’s arrival to the Chiefs-Eagles game with Ice Spice in a clip courtesy of the NFL below.

09 Feb 2025

Ben Affleck Brings Back the DunKings With a Lineup That Includes an NKOTB Member for Dunkin’ Super Bowl Ad

The Dunkin’ Super Bowl commercial starring Ben Affleck that aired during the game on Sunday (Feb. 9) is a 60-second cut, but there’s much more to see: The hilarious 7-minute version titled DunKings 2: The Movie expands on the battle of the bands story. Joining Ben is his brother Casey, plus Jeremy Strong, Bill Belichick and New Kids on the Block‘s Donnie Wahlberg.

It’s a multi-part campaign that continues “The DunKings” band theme that started with last year’s Super Bowl commercial. As a statement by Dunkin’ says, “the Dunkin’ Cinematic Universe keeps expanding.”

The Super Bowl ad and its longer version take place at “Java Jam, a comic convention-style battleground where new coffee brand bands go head-to-head for the coveted coffee cup trophy,” a statement from Dunkin’ says.

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In the coffee-infused comedy, Ben finds himself getting together a crew to defend The DunKings’ title, Succession star and new DunKings member Strong is “all in for Dunkin’” — literally, thanks to devoted method acting, and the guys get in a jab at a certain coffee brand competitor. (In the ad’s longer version, Ben points out that “now the thing is diss tracks. Everyone’s insulting each other. That’s how you get successful.”)

“This latest chapter is bigger, funnier, and full of surprises — and it reinforces what Dunkin’ has always been about: great coffee, fast — plain and simple,” says Dunkin’ chief marketing officer Jill McVicar Nelson. “We have a lot to offer, from all-day breakfast to high-quality drinks served at the speed of Dunkin’. And while we take those things very seriously, we never take ourselves too seriously. DunKings for life.”

Ben directed the coffee and doughnut company’s latest ad under Artists Equity, the studio he founded with Matt Damon in 2022.

See the 60-second Dunkin’ commercial that aired during the Super Bowl below, followed by the full “movie” version, clocking in at seven minutes.

09 Feb 2025

Ledisi Delivers Stirring Performance of ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ for Super Bowl Pre-Game Show

R&B star Ledisi performed on one of the biggest stages in her Grammy-winning career with a compelling live rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” during the pre-game festivities for Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. The occasion marked the fifth time that the song — also known as the Black national anthem — has been performed at the Super Bowl.

Dressed in a white pantsuit complemented by a floor-length long-sleeved coat, Ledisi was accompanied by a yellow-robed choir of 121 students from schools in the greater New Orleans area. Starting off slow and measured, the singer-songwriter-actress built up to a soaring crescendo that ended in her full-bodied voice sustaining the note on the last word in the song’s final verse: “Let us march on till victory is won.”

Earning hearty applause, her moving performance underscored the song’s message of hope, faith, resilience and unity amid the recent Los Angeles wildfires, last month’s act of terrorism on Bourbon Street in New Orleans and current challenges to such initiatives as DEI.

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While not a household name for some, New Orleans native Ledisi is heralded among fans for her potent vocals and colorful riffs integrated within a spirited fusion of R&B, soul, gospel and jazz. She counts legendary artist and civil rights activist Nina Simone as one of her major influences. Ledisi Sings Nina, released in 2021, was nominated for a Grammy for best traditional pop vocal album and an NAACP Image Award for outstanding jazz vocal album. Ledisi also portrayed another civil rights advocate, gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, in two projects: the 2022 biopic Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story and in 2014’s Ava DuVernay-directed film Selma.

Ledisi recently released a new single “Love You Too.” A 2021 Grammy winner for best traditional R&B performance for “Anything for You,” Ledisi released 11th studio album, Good Life, last March.

In a statement prior to her pregame performance, Ledisi commented, “Performing at the Super Bowl is one of the most significant moments of my career. I’m honored to bring my voice and my story to such a monumental event, and I hope to inspire unity and pride with this performance.”

After partnering with Roc Nation in 2019, the NFL inaugurated its Super Bowl pre-game tradition of including “Lift Every Voice” in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. Alicia Keys first performed the song in a video that premiered for the NFL in September 2020 that was later re-aired ahead of Super Bowl LV in 2021. Since then, gospel duo Mary Mary, Sheryl Lee Ralph and, last year, Andra Day have delivered their own interpretations on the global sports stage.

The hymn originated as a poem written by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson in 1900, with its verses paired with music composed by Johnson’s brother, John Rosamond Johnson. The song was later adopted by the NAACP as a clarion call during the civil rights movement of the ‘50s and ‘60s.

Preceding Kendrick Lamar’s highly anticipated Super Bowl LIX halftime performance, the pregame lineup also included performances by Lady Gaga (“Hold My Hand”), Lauren Daigle and Trombone Shortly (“America the Beautiful”) and Jon Batiste (“The Star-Spangled Banner”).  

09 Feb 2025

Harry Connick Jr. Opens Super Bowl LIX With Festive ‘Go to the Mardi Gras’ Performance

Super Bowl LIX opened with a bang. Before the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles hit the field at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday (Feb. 9), Lady Gaga performed her Top Gun tune “Hold My Hand” surrounded by rapt revelers on the city’s infamous Bourbon Street. Her performance honored victims of the Jan. 1 terrorist attack that took place on the tourist-heavy street, as well as victims of Hurricane Helene and the Los Angeles wildfires.

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After Gaga, a visual and aural feast of New Orleans sights and sounds took over the field on at the Superdome thanks to the Southern University Human Jukebox Marching Band, who demonstrated that the musicianship in the state of Louisiana is second to none. They paraded around the field in Mardi Gras purple, yellow and green as audio bits of “Explode” by NOLA musical legend Big Freedia blasted over the speakers in a nod to the city’s bounce music scene.

The performance capped off with a surprise appearance from a local legend: Harry Connick Jr. The crooner stood bent over an upright piano while singing a rousing, all-smiles version of “Go to the Mardi Gras” by the late, great Professor Longhair, with the marching band providing punchy support on the horns. Connick Jr. was born and raised in Crescent City, and his vocal delivery on the Mardi Gras anthem had more than a hint of the Louisiana accent you don’t usually hear on his studio material.

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For the Super Bowl 2025 halftime show, Kendrick Lamar and special guest SZA are set to hit the stage for one of the most anticipated sets in years.

09 Feb 2025

Lady Gaga Delivers Moving ‘Hold My Hand’ Performance for Disaster Victims at 2025 Super Bowl: Watch

Lady Gaga cast a spell at the 2025 Grammys with “Abracadabra,” and for the 2025 Super Bowl, she showed up to bring audiences together with another rousing performance.

In a special segment ahead of Super Bowl LIX, Gaga appeared alongside sports legends Tom Brady, Michael Strahan, Terry Bradshaw and others in a pre-filmed segment on New Orleans’ iconic Bourbon Street to pay tribute to the victims of multiple disasters over the last year, including the New Orleans terror attack, Hurricane Helene and the Los Angeles wildfires.

“Here on Bourbon Street, always the heart and soul of New Orleans, this year began with a terror attack that tried to shatter its spirit,” Strahan said while walking down the iconic thoroughfare sporting a “NOLA Strong” shirt. Brady, wearing an L.A. Fire Department T-shirt, joined in, adding that New Orleans’ resilience is “matched by the resolve of our country. When tragedy strikes, we don’t break — we come together, we rise above and we never let evil win.”

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The camera then cut to Gaga — sporting a wide-brimmed white hat and long white lace dress — seated at a piano and surrounded by a crowd in the middle of Bourbon Street. The singer launched into a stripped down performance of her Top Gun: Maverick single “Hold My Hand.” With various police officers and firefighters looking on, Gaga drove home the song’s inspirational message: “So cry tonight/ But don’t you let go of my hand,” she sang. “You can cry every last tear/ I won’t leave ’til I understand/ Promise you’ll just hold my hand.”

The segment aired just before the Philadelphia Eagles squared off against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2025 Super Bowl. Music fans around the world will be tuning into the program to watch as Kendrick Lamar takes center stage at Caesars Superdome for the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show, featuring special guest SZA.

In the pre-show, meanwhile, in addition to Gaga, performers included Ledisi, Harry Connick Jr., Lauren Daigle and Jon Batiste to deliver annual renditions of the national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “America the Beautiful.”

Watch Gaga’s performance of “Hold My Hand” above.