NEW ORLEANS — It’s a big week for Kendrick Lamar.
Big as the what? Big as the Super Bowl.
Just days removed from going five-for-five on Grammy wins for his diss track aimed at the artist who sang the lyrics above, you can count on Lamar performing “Not Like Us” during the biggest television broadcast of the year.
Don’t turn the TV off just yet.
“I love when artists grit [their] teeth,” Lamar said at his Apple Music press conference on Thursday. “I still watch battle raps … This has always been the core definition of who I am.”
What started as an old-school rap battle between Lamar and Drake has turned into mainstream recognition for Lamar, which might be the ultimate checkmate. Lamar has won countless awards during his illustrious career, showcasing his multi-layered lyrics and intricate cadences. His albums are littered with certified bangers and crucial commentary on society, rap and art.
Lamar has won a Pulitzer Prize, for crying out loud.
“The passion I have now is still the passion I had then,” he said.
So, it’s fitting when asked what to expect in his performance during Sunday’s Apple Music Halftime Show at Super Bowl LIX between the Chiefs and the Eagles, Lamar simply said, “storytelling.”
Lamar is the ultimate storyteller.
Context clues like that have now fed prop bets around the country. What will Lamar include in his set? There are the obvious songs that cannot be left out on a stage this big.
But with just 13 minutes to cram at his disposal, along with special guest SZA, whom Lamar has multiple tracks with, how will he whittle down his extensive catalog?
Let’s take a look at a potential setlist, with songs ranked from most to least likely to be performed Sunday.
1. “Not Like Us”
2. “Luther” with SZA
3. “DNA”
4. “Swimming Pools”
5. “Alright”
6. “Squabble Up”
7. “Don’t Kill My Vibe”
8. “Backseat Freestyle”
9. “Wacced Out Murals”
10. “Humble”
11. “TV Off”
12. “The Heart Part 5”
Given the storytelling aspect of his performance, I wouldn’t be surprised if the ethereal first notes of “Swimming Pools” from his major-label debut album “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City” are the opening sounds you hear from the Caesars Superdome.
Maybe it goes chronologically from there.
With SZA also set to perform, and the way Lamar was gushing about her during his press conference, don’t be surprised if we hear their duets “Luther” and “All the Stars,” but also a couple of her own songs — at least snippets.
Lamar is hip-hop’s first solo headliner in Super Bowl history, but he’ll be performing for the second time on the grand stage. The Compton, California native represented his city alongside the likes of Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg as Los Angeles hosted Super Bowl LVI in 2022. That ensemble, which also included Eminem and 50 Cent, was a celebration of rap.
This performance promises more of the same, but with Lamar’s flair for the dramatic.
“I was just thinking about the culture, really,” he said of his Grammys sweep for “Not Like Us.” “When people talk about rap, man, the conversations I hear, they think it’s just rap and not an actual art form. When you put records like that at the forefront, it reminds people … I love to see it get that type of recognition for just straight raps. From awards to Billboards.”
And now, to the Super Bowl.
Carmen Vitali is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. Carmen had previous stops with The Draft Network and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She spent six seasons with the Bucs, including 2020, which added the title of Super Bowl Champion (and boat-parade participant) to her résumé. You can follow Carmen on Twitter at @CarmieV.
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