Kendrick Lamar is set to take the stage at halftime of the 2025 Super Bowl in New Orleans on Feb. 9 in what has been one of the most talked about halftime show performances in recent memory. The biggest question that remains is whether he will perform his chart-topping Drake diss song, “Not Like Us.” Drizzy’s recent litigation connected to the track may show the Canadian rap star is hellbent on making sure that does not happen.
The Controversy Surrounding “Not Like Us”
Kendrick Lamar had a huge year in 2024, largely in part due to “Not Like Us,” which seemed to put the nail in the coffin of the K-Dot and Drake lyrical squabble. The song spent two non-consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was inarguably one of the biggest records of 2024, as evidenced by it being nominated for five 2025 Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
K-Dot being announced as the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show performer back in September only added to his epic 2024 run. So, the thinking is surely he will perform his smash hit at the Big Game, right? Maybe. Maybe not.
Drake’s Lawsuit May Complicate Things
Though K-Dot’s “Not Like Us” has turned into a record-breaking battle cry for the West Coast, it is, in essence, a vitriolic diss track that labels the music industry’s golden boy, Drake, a child predator. Therefore, it’s not the most Super Bowl-friendly track. Kendrick has censored his infamous “certified lover boy, certified pedophile” line during performances in the past, changing “pedophile” to “pedo-style” during one live rendition. And those were not as widely watched as the Super Bowl.
Drake’s recent legal actions against UMG over the track have only complicated things. In November of 2024, Drake filed two pre-action petitions against 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 filing only to spin the block and officially sue UMG for defamation for releasing the inflammatory track on Wednesday (Jan. 15).
Some people have surmised that Aubrey’s legal tactic is a way to get the NFL and Apple Music, who sponsor the halftime show, to make Kendrick not include that song in his set. Drake’s lawsuit only ups the ante on the Super Bowl banning the performance of the song in order to possibly avoid being thrown into the court case.
“Drake is trying everything he can because he knows what’s going to happen next month at the Super Bowl in New Orleans…….Not Like Us is going to tear the roof off the building,” oner X user tweeted.
“Didn’t I tell y’all Drake was gonna go after that Super Bowl,” another post on the topic reads. “He’s trying his best to stop Kendrick Lamar through everything and everybody. He probably wasn’t even gonna perform ‘Not Like Us’ anyway.”
Possible Outcomes
There are multiple outcomes for this situation. One: Kendrick could avoid performing the song after a) being told not to or b) deciding not to himself. Either way, the internet will have a field day. Two: He could perform the song and censor the part about Drake liking underage girls. Three: He could perform a portion of the song and avoid altogether any parts that reference Drake. Lastly, he could perform the song as is, pedo claims and all, and get whatever reaction and repercussions that come with it.
Either way, hip-hop fans will be glued to their TVs on Super Bowl Sunday.
