It was there at Vanguard, under his tutelage, where Lamar got exposed to the creative arts. Inge said he wanted to offer students an alternative to the violence impacting the city streets. “I needed to do something because they were angry and they wanted to fight each other.” Inge swelled with pride when asked about his thoughts on Kendrick Lamar’s upcoming Super Bowl Halftime Show. “I’m very proud of him because he’s the only hip hop artist [that’s] been given the Pulitzer Prize.”

Kendrick Lamar Causes Controversy With Super Bowl Halftime Announcement

Kendrick has received some backlash for being selected as the performer. Many thought the honor should be given to Lil Wayne because the game is in New Orleans, his hometown. Jay-Z,’s Roc Nation has been involved with the Super Bowl halftime show since 2019. He released a statement giving Kendrick his full endorsement. “Kendrick Lamar is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer. His deep love for hip-hop and culture informs his artistic vision,” JAY-Z wrote.

“He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture globally. Kendrick’s work transcends music, and his impact will be felt for years to come.” Rihanna also came to Kendrick’s aid, telling Entertainment Tonight, “It’s a diamond on a ring finger, honey. It’s meant to be!” She added, “It’s Kendrick Lamar! Kendrick Lamar is the one that’s supposed to do it right now. He’s gonna crush it. We should never doubt him. He’s an amazing artist, top-tier,” Rihanna said. “

Spanning over five minutes, the visual takes inspiration from the song’s laid-back vibe, using minimalist themes. Filmed in color, as well as black and white, the video transports the viewer into the mind of Kendrick Lamar.

The rapper uses the song and video to tell the story of a couple going through the ups and downs of a relationship. SZA also makes an appearance, bringing a soft, feminine energy to the video as she and the rapper harmonize back and forth.

After dropping only mere hours ago, the video already has over 1.5 million views. It’s also trending at the No.5 spot on YouTube Music. The track’s name (and sample) are inspired by Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn’s 1982 rendition of “If This World Were Mine.” The song appears on Kendrick Lamar’s GNX album, which was released in November 2024. Since the track’s release, it’s stayed atop the Billboard charts for several weeks.

Baka Not Nice Shares How Drake Eased His Reaction to ‘Not Like Us’

In other news, OVO affiliate, Baka Not Nice, recently shared his thoughts on being name-dropped by Lamar on “Not Like Us.” In an interview with Hot Freestyle, the rapper and former bodyguard to the Canadian superstar shared insights into the ongoing rivalry between two of hip-hop’s most prominent figures.

Reflecting on Lamar’s references to his past, Baka expressed a surge of emotions that initially compelled him to retaliate. “My instinct was to respond swiftly and assertively,” he recounted. “Coming from my background, it’s unacceptable to call someone out without substantial evidence. The fact that this narrative gained traction is astonishing.”

Baka’s frustration peaked as he noted the widespread acceptance of Lamar’s claims, which he deemed unfounded. “It’s perplexing,” he continued. “We both have children, and to make such serious allegations is beyond comprehension.” Fortunately, a timely conversation with Drake helped him regain perspective. “I was on the verge of letting my anger take over,” he explained. “Then, I received a call from Drake, and it felt almost divine. He said, ‘I understand your feelings, but don’t pay attention to the noise—it’s just noise.’”

On Friday (Nov.22), Kendrick Lamar dropped off his surprise project, GNX. Spanning only 11 tracks, GNX offers a reintroduction to Lamar’s eloquent wordplay. Jack Antoff, Taylor Swift’s number two, and avid collaborator, was part of the project’s production. On the track, “Wacced Out Murals,” Kendrick addressed Lil Wayne’s earlier comments. “I used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud / Irony, I think my hardworking let Lil Wayne down,” he raps. Lamar continues, “Got the Super Bowl, and Nas the only one to congratulate me, all these n*ggas agitated; I’m just glad it’s on their faces.

Lil Wayne reveals disappointment about Super Bowl halftime show

“It was ripped away from me,” Lil Wayne tells a crowd of his fellow New Orleanians during his annual Weezyana Fest. In September, Kendrick Lamar was chosen to headline the Super Bowl Halftime performance. The decision was met with an onslaught of criticism especially from Lil Wayne’s Young Money/Cash Money family members Nicki Minaj and Birdman. Wayne did admit to feeling “hurt” by the decision, but his latest comments indicate that this hurt runs deep.

That said, witnessing the festival’s turnout gave him something that the Super Bowl cannot. “I worked my a** off to get in that position…” Lil Wayne tells the crowd. “But this motherf*king moment right here? They can’t take that.” While many people like Nicki Minaj and Birdman, spoke out about the decision to select Kendrick Lamar as the Super Bowl Halftime performer; many came to his aid, like Rihanna. During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the singer says she believes Kendrick Lamar’s selection was fate, almost “meant to be.” She added, “It’s Kendrick Lamar! Kendrick Lamar is the one to do it right now. He’s gonna crush it.”

Since its release, GNX has had a flurry of conversation. Kendrick seemingly disses Drake, Lil Wayne, and white comedians, inserting themselves into Black spaces. Kendrick Lamar wasn’t the only industry heavyweight to crack the list. Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold Em,” Asake and Travis Scott’s “Active,” and Tyla, Skillibeng, and Gunna’s “Jump” also appeared to make the list.

Meek Mill Calls Out Andrew Schulz In Defense Of Kendrick Lamar

Meek Mill had a few thoughts about comedian Andrew Schulz’s recent remarks about Kendrick Lamar’s stance on white comedians. On Thursday (Dec.5), Meek hopped on X, writing, “White man saying they’ll rape black men openly is extreme …” In Meek Mill’s opinion, Black masculinity is nothing to joke about. “Black manhood [is] not a joke! I [have] seen the same guy saying I was gay on his stand-up!” He added: “My white friends like it’s a joke! We don’t joke like that in the black community at all!!”

On Nov.22, Kendrick Lamar dropped off his 12-track project, GNX. The album’s first track, “Wacced Out Murals,” caused a flurry of comments on social media. However, the verse addressing white comedians appeared to bother Andrew Schulz. “Don’t let no white comedian talk about Black women, that’s law,” Lamar raps. Not long after, Schulz responded to Lamar’s verse, assuming the line was directed at him. On the other hand, the rapper never mentions Schulz nor alludes to who he was taking a shot at.

During a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, the billionaire mogul praised Kendrick for his artistry.

“It’s a diamond on a ring finger, honey. It’s meant to be!” “It’s Kendrick Lamar! Kendrick Lamar is the one that’s supposed to do it right now. He’s gonna crush it. We should never doubt him. He’s an amazing artist, top-tier,” Rihanna said. “

He had an incredible year. He actually brought so many people together. It’s to be celebrated. That’s what culture is. He deserves it. I cannot wait to see it. Kendrick, thank you,” she continued.

Rihanna knows something about Super Bowl Halftime shows.  She gave a thrilling performance at the Super Bowl Halftime show in 2023. More than 121 million viewers witnessed the performance making it the most watched halftime show ever.

In September, Lamar took to Instagram to share that he would be headlining the Super Bowl. With an American flag as his background, Kendrick was playing with a ball launcher.

“What the deal everybody, my name is Kendrick Lamar,” the video begins. “[And] I’ll be performing at Super Bowl 59. Will you be pulling up?”

“I hope so. You know it’s only one opportunity to win a championship, right? No round twos,” he continued. I wouldn’t want you to miss it. Meet me in New Orleans [on] February 9, 2025. Wear your best dress too, even if you’re watching from home. Let’s go.” Lamar shared a similar sentiment in the post’s caption: “Super Bowl LIX. New Orleans. February 2025.#AppleMusicHalftime.”

Kendrick has received some backlash for being selected as the performer. Many thought the honor should be given to Lil Wayne because the game is in New Orleans, his hometown.

Jay-Z,’s Roc Nation has been involved with the Super Bowl halftime show since 2019. He released a statement giving Kendrick his full endorsement.

“Kendrick Lamar is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer. His deep love for hip-hop and culture informs his artistic vision,” JAY-Z wrote. “He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture globally. Kendrick’s work transcends music, and his impact will be felt for years to come.”

Lil Wayne did admit to feeling “hurt” by the decision, but his latest comments indicate that this hurt runs deep. That said, witnessing the festival’s turnout gave him something that the Super Bowl cannot. “I worked my a** off to get in that position and it was ripped away from me,” Lil Wayne tells the crowd. “But this motherf*king moment right here? They can’t take that.”

Rihanna Defends Kendrick Lamar Being Super Bowl Halftime Performer

While many people like Nicki Minaj and Birdman, spoke out about the decision to select Kendrick Lamar as the Super Bowl Halftime performer; many came to his aid, like Rihanna. During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the singer says she believes Kendrick Lamar’s selection was fate, almost “meant to be.” She added, “It’s Kendrick Lamar! Kendrick Lamar is the one to do it right now. He’s gonna crush it.”

Rihanna doesn’t doubt that Lamar will be able to stun the crowd and those at home with his performance: “We should never doubt him. He’s an amazing artist, top-tier. He had an incredible year,” she said. “He actually brought so many people together. It’s to be celebrated. That’s what culture is. He deserves it. I cannot wait to see it. Kendrick, thank you.”

Kendrick Lamar’s Grand National Tour featuring SZA at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ on May 8th.

“Oh, we are there,” said Juvenile at 16:01 when asked if Kendrick Lamar had called them for the halftime show. “Kendrick is one of the best performers we’ve ever seen. In the hip-hop world, he raises the bar. So it’s something that everybody wants to see. So, if he makes the call, I’m there.”

Hip-hop has had mixed reactions to Lil Wayne’s not performing in his hometown since the announcement of the halftime show. Weezy addressed the selection in an Instagram post in September. Although Juvenile and Mannie Fresh regret not having Lil Wayne perform at the NFL championship, they understand the committee’s decision.

Mannie Fresh cleared up past comments on the Super Bowl performance after being asked if they would perform with K-Dot. He said, “The thing is, the internet, makes something that it’s not. Feel like we took a side because we said, ‘It would be cool if Wayne was in it.’ Of course we do, that’s our team. But, respectfully, Kendrick is … He’s that dude.” 

Juvenile added: “Never thrown shade on Kendrick, not one time. I don’t live my life like that anyway. I don’t like to tear somebody else down to lift somebody else up. But, I feel like Wayne was campaigning for that spot. He came out months ahead of time asking for it. At least consider him, give him a call, or something.”

On September 9, Jay-Z, a member of the committee selecting Super Bowl performers, made a statement regarding Kendrick Lamar’s selection. It reads:

“Kendrick Lamar is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer. His deep love for hip-hop and culture informs his artistic vision. He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture globally. Kendrick’s work transcends music, and his impact will be felt for years to come.”

Fat Joe, 50 Cent, and Snoop Dogg are among hip-hop’s biggest names to defend Jay-Z’s selection of Kendrick Lamar. Super Bowl LIX takes place on February 9, 2025.

Lamar is featured on three songs from Carti’s new album MUSIC: “GOOD CREDIT,” “MOJO JOJO,” and “BACKD00R.”

After the album dropped, Ye shared his thoughts on Kendrick’s involvement, stating, “I DON’T LIKE KENDRICK LAMAR’S MUSIC. HE RAPS REALLY WELL, BUT I DIDN’T NEED TO HEAR HIM ON A CARTI ALBUM.”

Kendrick has yet to respond to Kanye.

As previously reported Kanye spoke on Kendrick’s “beef” with Drake.

In a recent conversation with Justin LaBoy, the rapper was asked about his stance on the infamous 2024 rap feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. “I was like, ‘Man, you killed my nemesis. Where’s the movies if it ain’t no Drake?’” “Or at least he took him down for a little bit. Maybe it’s like in supehero films where characters like Wolverine or something just goes away for a couple films.”

Kendrick also spoke on the back and forth.

During a previous interview, Lamar shares what his intent for the battle was. “my intent, I think from day one, was to always keep the nature of it as a sport. I don’t care how muthaf*ckers look at it as far as, like… a collaborative effort. That’s cool, too, but I love when artists grit their 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. […]”

He continued, “what I will say about this year: It was more from a space where I think a lot of people was putting rap to the back, and you didn’t see that: You didn’t see that grit, you didn’t see that bite anymore. So I always took that in consideration.”

Lamar released his surprise studio album, GNX, and in the first single, “Wacced Out Murals,” the rapper addresses being selected to perform at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show.

As previously reported, Lil Wayne had said the Super Bowl opportunity was “ripped away from [him]” during a crowd of his fellow New Orleanians at his annual Weezyana Fest. “I worked my a** off to get in that position, and it was ripped away from me,” Lil Wayne told the crowd. “But this motherf*cking moment right here? They can’t take that.”

Seemingly responding to those comments, Lamar raps on the new album: “I used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud / Irony, I think my hardworking let Lil Wayne down.”

He later adds, “Got the Super Bowl, and Nas the only one to congratulate me, all these n*ggas agitated; I’m just glad it’s on their faces.”

In addition to Nas, Rihanna also congratulated Kendrick Lamar on the Super Bowl selection. During a previous interview with Entertainment Tonight, the billionaire mogul praised Kendrick for his artistry.

“It’s a diamond on a ring finger, honey- It’s meant to be! It’s Kendrick Lamar! Kendrick Lamar is the one that’s supposed to do it right now. He’s gonna crush it. We should never doubt him. He’s an amazing artist, top-tier,” Rihanna said. “

“He had an incredible year. He actually brought so many people together. It’s to be celebrated. That’s what culture is. He deserves it. I cannot wait to see it. Kendrick, thank you,” she continued.