Kendrick Lamar is about to take the stage at halftime of the 2025 Tremendous Bowl in New Orleans on Feb. 9 in what has been one of the talked about halftime present performances in current reminiscence. The largest query that continues to be is whether or not he’ll carry out his chart-topping Drake diss track, “Not Like Us.” Drizzy’s current litigation related to the monitor could present the Canadian rap star is hellbent on ensuring that doesn’t occur.
The Controversy Surrounding “Not Like Us”
Kendrick Lamar had an enormous yr in 2024, largely partly because of “Not Like Us,” which appeared to place the nail within the coffin of the Okay-Dot and Drake lyrical squabble. The track spent two non-consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Sizzling 100 chart and was inarguably one of many largest information of 2024, as evidenced by it being nominated for 5 2025 Grammy Awards, together with Document of the 12 months and Music of the 12 months.
Okay-Dot being introduced because the 2025 Tremendous Bowl halftime present performer again in September solely added to his epic 2024 run. So, the pondering is definitely he’ll carry out his smash hit on the Large Sport, proper? Possibly. Possibly not.
Drake’s Lawsuit Could Complicate Issues
Although Okay-Dot’s “Not Like Us” has changed into a record-breaking battle cry for the West Coast, it’s, in essence, a vitriolic diss monitor that labels the music business’s golden boy, Drake, a baby predator. Subsequently, it isn’t probably the most Tremendous Bowl-friendly monitor. Kendrick has censored his notorious “licensed lover boy, licensed pedophile” line throughout performances previously, altering “pedophile” to “pedo-style” throughout one stay rendition. And people weren’t as broadly watched because the Tremendous Bowl.
Drake’s current authorized actions in opposition to UMG over the monitor have solely difficult issues. In November of 2024, Drake filed two pre-action petitions in opposition to UMG, the distributor of his and Kendrick Lamar’s music, accusing the music conglomerate of defamation and artificially inflating “Not Like Us” to Drake’s detriment. On Tuesday (Jan. 14), Drake withdrew one submitting solely to spin the block and formally sue UMG for defamation for releasing the inflammatory monitor on Wednesday (Jan. 15).
Some folks have surmised that Aubrey’s authorized tactic is a technique to get the NFL and Apple Music, who sponsor the halftime present, to make Kendrick not embrace that track in his set. Drake’s lawsuit solely ups the ante on the Tremendous Bowl banning the efficiency of the track with a view to presumably keep away from being thrown into the court docket case.
“Drake is attempting all the things he can as a result of he is aware of what’s going to occur subsequent month on the Tremendous Bowl in New Orleans…….Not Like Us goes to tear the roof off the constructing,” oner X person tweeted.
“Did not I inform y’all Drake was gonna go after that Tremendous Bowl,” one other put up on the subject reads. “He is attempting his finest to cease Kendrick Lamar via all the things and all people. He most likely wasn’t even gonna carry out ‘Not Like Us’ anyway.”
Doable Outcomes
There are a number of outcomes for this example. One: Kendrick may keep away from performing the track after a) being informed to not or b) deciding to not himself. Both approach, the web can have a subject day. Two: He may carry out the track and censor the half about Drake liking underage women. Three: He may carry out a portion of the track and keep away from altogether any components that reference Drake. Lastly, he may carry out the track as is, pedo claims and all, and get no matter response and repercussions that include it.
Both approach, hip-hop followers might be glued to their TVs on Tremendous Bowl Sunday.
