The nightmare continues — for Drake at least.
Kendrick Lamar takes another jab at Drake, this time in a Super Bowl LIX commercial revealing he’s headlining next year’s halftime show in New Orleans.
On Sunday, the infamous “Not Like Us” rapper took to social media to share the big news, but not without reminding fans once again who came out on top in their viral rap feud this summer.
In the clip, Lamar says, “You know it’s only one opportunity to win a championship, no rounds twos …”
Immediately, following the announcement fans and celebrities raved about the apparent sneak-diss aimed toward Drake, with some even expressing disappointment that Kendrick was chosen over rap legend Lil Wayne, whose hometown is New Orleans.
A lot has unfolded in the past 48 hours, so here’s a quick breakdown to catch you up.
Where does “round two” reference?
Speculation about a rematch between Kendrick Lamar and Drake started swirling last month when Drake shared a cryptic video on his secondary Instagram account (@plottttwistttttt).
The video featured a vintage 2004 interview with Detroit Pistons star Rasheed Wallace confidently saying, “Y’all put it on the front page, back page, middle of the page … we will win Game 2,” fuelling rumours of an impending response.
What are celebrities saying?
From the likes of rap artists Travis Scott and Nicki Minaj to radio hosts like Charlamagne Tha God, celebrities have been quick to weigh in on Kendrick Lamar’s apparent Super Bowl jab.
Nick Minaj shared a series of heated posts on X (formerly known as Twitter) taking aim at Rocnation, whose owner and founder is JAY-Z. In one post she wrote:
“God forbid if Wayne was to leave this earth right now, the culture would be in mourning. That’s why so many ppl keep saying to give our legends their flowers while they are still around to smell them. Sitting around all day playing games with ppl life & legacy. God ain’t sleep …”
Following the Super Bowl news, JAY-Z issued a statement which read, “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.”
In a different realm, radio host like Charlamagne Tha God advised critics to “just be happy we didn’t get Taylor Swift,” who was a frequent storyline during the Kansas City’s Super Bowl run last year.
What are fans saying?
While some celebs have offered their critique against the NFL, there are a strong group of Kendrick fans who feel this is the right move for hip hop culture.
On X, one user wrote, “Hating on Kendrick Lamar is nasty work lol bro spent his rap career trying to uplift the culture.”
Another commended JAY-Z for not “selling out” his Black culture adding that Kendrick Lamar is Grammy Award winning “pro black” artist.
The halftime show is arguably one of the biggest performances in any artist’s career. With notable past appearances from Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Destiny’s Child to name a few.
Last year’s Super Bowl brought in an average of approximately of 123.7 million viewers, according to Nielsen.
Kendrick Lamar will join the ranks of recent performers, following Usher, who took the stage earlier this year, Rihanna in 2023, and the star-studded lineup of Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Mary J. Blige in 2022.
When is the next Super Bowl?
Super Bowl LIX (59) and will take place at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana on Feb. 9. 2025.
