It was never going to be just a concert. When Kendrick Lamar stepped onto that stage at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, the air felt different. Heavy. Electric. Honestly, people weren't just waiting for the music; they were waiting for a statement.
And boy, did they get one.
The reaction to halftime show 2025 has been anything but quiet. Even now, months after the Philadelphia Eagles hoisted the Lombardi Trophy following their 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, the internet is still arguing about what Kendrick actually did up there. Was it a masterpiece of high-concept art? Or was it a "boring" snub to the city of New Orleans and its local legend, Lil Wayne?
The 133.5 Million Person Question
First off, let’s talk numbers because they're kind of staggering. According to Roc Nation and Nielsen, Kendrick’s set pulled in 133.5 million viewers. That’s the biggest audience for a halftime show ever, narrowly beating out Usher's 2024 performance and even Michael Jackson's historic 1993 set (though the population was smaller then, to be fair).
But a massive audience doesn't always mean universal love.
The immediate social media reaction to halftime show 2025 was a total split. On one side, you had the "hip-hop heads" and critics from places like TIME and The Dartmouth hailing it as a "revolution." They loved the dense symbolism—the Tic-Tac-Toe board stage, the 1987 Buick GNX, and the "prison yard" lighting. They saw it as a deep dive into the Black American experience.
Then there was the other side.
Go to any Reddit thread or Twitter (X) archive from that night. You’ll see thousands of fans calling the show "underwhelming" or "too niche." They wanted the pyrotechnics of Katy Perry or the sing-along nostalgia of Bruno Mars. Instead, Kendrick gave them unreleased snippets, B-sides like "Peekaboo," and a heavy-handed dose of political commentary delivered through a character played by Samuel L. Jackson.
The Samuel L. Jackson Factor
Speaking of Jackson, his role as "Uncle Sam" was arguably the most polarizing part of the night. Dressed in starry patriotic gear, he basically heckled Kendrick during the show.
- He called the music "too ghetto."
- He told Kendrick to "tighten up."
- He acted as a stand-in for every critic who thinks hip-hop doesn't belong on the world's biggest stage.
It was meta. It was weird. It was very "Kendrick."
But for the casual viewer who just wanted to eat wings and hear "Alright," it was a lot to process. Interestingly, Kendrick actually skipped "Alright" entirely. He also skipped "Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe" and "Swimming Pools."
Think about that. The man has some of the biggest hits of the last decade, and he chose to play "Man at the Garden" and "Squabble Up" instead. That’s a bold move. It’s the kind of move that makes people respect your integrity but also makes your aunt in Nebraska change the channel.
Why the New Orleans Snub Still Stings
We have to address the elephant in the room: Lil Wayne.
Since the game was in New Orleans, the local reaction to halftime show 2025 was tinted with a lot of resentment. Lil Wayne himself admitted on Instagram that being passed over for the slot "broke" him.
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When Kendrick performed, fans were looking for a Wayne cameo. It never happened. Instead, we got SZA (who was incredible on "All the Stars" and "Luther") and a brief appearance by producer Mustard.
Even Serena Williams showed up to Crip-walk during a snippet of "Not Like Us," which was a direct jab at the Drake feud. But no Tunechi. For many in the 504 area code, the show felt like a missed opportunity to honor a hometown hero, regardless of how good Kendrick’s "art" was.
The "Not Like Us" Moment
Of course, the climax was "Not Like Us."
The stadium literally shook. When the "A minor" line hit, 133 million people heard a capacity crowd scream it in unison. It was the most-searched moment of the night.
Critics pointed out that Kendrick's smile during the line "Say Drake, I hear you like 'em young" was one of the coldest moments in TV history. He didn't just perform a song; he took a victory lap in front of the entire world.
But even this had its critics. Some viewers felt the inclusion of a "diss track" was juvenile for a family-friendly event. Others complained about the sound mix on Fox, claiming Kendrick was "mumbling" or "unintelligible." If you watched on Tubi, the mix was apparently better, but the damage was done for the broadcast audience.
Is the Super Bowl Halftime Show Changing?
What we’re seeing in the reaction to halftime show 2025 is a shift in what this 13-minute window is supposed to be.
For years, it was a "Greatest Hits" medley. A safe, flashy pop show. Kendrick treated it like a short film. He prioritized "culture over commercialization," as one reviewer put it. He used the platform to talk about 40 acres and a mule, the industrial prison complex, and the "Great American Game" of survival.
Whether you loved it or hated it, you can't deny that it was authentic. It wasn't a corporate-sanitized version of hip-hop. It was raw.
Actionable Takeaways for the Super Bowl Fan
If you're still processing that 13-minute whirlwind, here are a few ways to actually "get" what happened:
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- Watch the "GNX" Context: Most of the songs people didn't recognize were from his late 2024 album GNX. Listening to that album in order makes the halftime setlist feel much more intentional.
- Look for the Easter Eggs: From the "Gloria" jacket to the PlayStation controller stage layout, the show was packed with symbols. Rewatching it on 4K digital platforms (where the audio is clearer) helps reveal the storytelling layers.
- Acknowledge the Genre Shift: We are officially in the era where solo rappers are the new rockstars of the Super Bowl. Expect future shows to be more lyric-heavy and message-driven, rather than just dance-pop spectacles.
Kendrick Lamar didn't try to make everyone happy. He tried to make everyone think. In a world of safe, predictable entertainment, maybe that's why the reaction to halftime show 2025 remains so loud. It forced us to actually pay attention.
Next Steps for the Super Bowl Obsessed:
If you want to dive deeper into the technical side of the show, you can look up the "GNX set design breakdown" on YouTube. It explains exactly how they built that Tic-Tac-Toe stage in under eight minutes. You can also check out the official NFL shop for the Martine Rose "Gloria" varsity jacket replicas if you've got a few hundred dollars burning a hole in your pocket.