Republicans were not happy about Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show
While hip-hop fans praised Lamar's performance for taking a political stance while also centering Black culture, some conservative voices made clear they weren't feeling it.
Kendrick Lamar’s cultural and patriotic Super Bowl halftime show was undoubtedly the most trending moment of Sunday night’s NFL championship game, but it appears his musical performance wasn’t a hit with some Republican viewers.
The 22-Grammy Award-winning hip-hop star, who made history as the first rapper to headline a Super Bowl halftime, was clearly as political as it was entertaining. Lamar tapped Hollywood legend Samuel L. Jackson to play the role of “Uncle Sam,” who, much like the federal government, attempts to censor the rapper throughout the performance. There was other symbolism, including Black male dancers wearing red, white and blue forming the American flag with their bodies, and even a lyric change that left rap fans speculating whether it was a subtle swipe at President Donald Trump.
“The revolution is about to be televised. You picked the right time but the wrong guy,” said Lamar at the start of his 13-minute show.
But while hip-hop fans praised Kendrick Lamar’s performance for taking a political stance while also centering Black culture, particularly Black Los Angeles, some conservative voices made clear they weren’t feeling it.
“Halftime Show 0/10,” wrote former Trump-endorsed Republican Arizona gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake on X, formerly Twitter.
Popular right-wing podcaster Benny Johnson also slammed Lamar’s musical offering on X, writing, “Hey NFL, Trump won. We no longer let talentless mumbling pagan satanic cultists do halftime shows and pretend like people like it.”
Charlie Kirk, Trump ally and co-founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit, also expressed his disdain for Lamar’s halftime show, posting, “This music is not my style.”
Disgraced former Republican congressman George Santos also chimed in, calling Kendrick Lamar’s performance, “absolute TRASH,” adding, “Who booked this garbage for the halftime [s]how??” His former House of Represntatives colleague, Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., also commented: “Tell me I’m not the only one needing subtitles for this!!”
Though many Lamar fans were convinced the political undertones were a direct hit at the resurgence of Donald Trump, who made history as the first sitting president to attend a NFL Super Bowl, the president was notably not present for Kendrick’s performance.
By the time the rapper hit the field at the Caesars Superdome, Trump was already on his way back to Air Force One for his return to Washington, D.C. It is unclear if Kendrick Lamar being the halftime performer had any role in Trump leaving the Super Bowl half way through, however, it is worth noting he was always scheduled to depart at that time, according to a daily guidance schedule released by the White House.
During Trump’s first term in office, Kendrick Lamar made it very clear he was not a fan of the real estate businessman and former reality TV star.
“It is something that completely disregards our moral compass,” Lamar said about Trump’s rise during a 2017 interview on Fuse TV. “The key differences [between former President Barack Obama and Trump] are morals, dignity, principles, common sense.” He added, “How can you follow someone who doesn’t know how to approach someone or speak to them kindly and with compassion and sensitivity?”
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