Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl half-time show was one big tease

The star hinted that he might not play his smash hit Not Like Us, but gave viewers plenty to absorb.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportAudioPodcastsRadioHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersKendrick Lamar's Super Bowl show was one big tease2 days agoMark SavageMusic CorrespondentReutersKendrick Lamar is the first rapper to headline the Super Bowl as a solo act"I want to play their favourite song... but you know they love to sue," said Kendrick Lamar, a couple of minutes into his Super Bowl half-time show.

Everyone knew what he was referring to. Not Like Us, his brutal takedown of rap rival Drake, was one of last year's breakout hits, earning one billion streams on Spotify and five Grammy Awards, including song of the year.

But there were questions over whether Lamar would play it - or even could play it - at the Super Bowl, after Drake filed a defamation lawsuit for lyrics that branded him a sexual predator, which he denies.

Lamar leaned into the dilemma, teasing the song over and over during his set, before finally giving the audience what they wanted.

When the song finally played, Kendrick self-censored the most contentious lyric, in which he calls Drake a "certified paedophile".

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz0l5m5m943o

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