Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show turned heads, and Magic Johnson was quick to share his thoughts. As fans analyzed every moment, speculation grew over whether Lamar had subtly taken another shot at Drake. Johnson, although not seemingly involved in their feud, responded with good words for Lamar’s performance. As the tension between the popular rappers is high, Johnson’s reaction to Lamar’s performance has left fans wondering about the intensity of the rivalry.
Magic Johnson shared his honest reaction to Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show
Kendrick Lamar performing at Super Bowl LIX. Image via: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Magic Johnson has enjoyed Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show, and he didn’t keep it to himself. The NBA icon took to social media right away, showing love for Lamar’s performance and giving his shout-out to other stars involved.
Along with praising Lamar, Johnson also gave a shoutout to SZA, Serena Williams, and Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson, a longtime friend of Magic, delivered an unforgettable introduction that set the stage for an electrifying show. “Kendrick Lamar brought the house down tonight!” Johnson wrote on X. “I loved his song selection, and the production was amazing!” he said of Lamar.
“SZA sounded great, and I loved seeing my friend Serena Williams and my good friend Samuel L. Jackson as ‘Uncle Sam’!” the NBA Hall of Famer added in his post on X.
The NFL officially announced Kendrick Lamar as this year’s Super Bowl halftime performer in a unique way revealing a featured video of the 22-time Grammy winner launching footballs toward the camera using a training machine. “My name’s Kendrick Lamar and I’ll be performing at Super Bowl LIX. Will you be pulling up? I hope so. You know, there’s only one opportunity to win a championship. No round 2’s,” the rap star said in the video.
Lamar’s explosive Drake diss track Not Like Us made a statement at the Super Bowl halftime show. His 15-minute set featured a mix of new tracks from GNX and classic hits, all backed by a high-energy dance crew.
At one point, Lamar teased Not Like Us, playing the opening notes before pausing. “You know they love to sue,” he joked, a clear nod to Drake’s recent lawsuit against Universal Music Group. The track had dominated streams last summer and Lamar seemingly had the last laugh potentially ending the long-time feud with his recent jab at Drake.
Lamar chose to censor the most controversial line of Not Like Us, avoiding direct accusations against Drake. However, he still performed the lyric, “tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor,” a line many believe is a clever jab.
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The former collaborators have turned arch nemesis in the world of the rap music industry. In November 2011, Lamer was featured on Drake’s Take Care album. Lamar called out Drake on Big Sean’s Control in August 2013. The feud continued with back-and-forth diss tracks. So, far Drake has not responded to Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show.