Kendrick Lamar Sparks Debate Over Having No White Performers in Halftime Show: 'Did We Want a White DEI Dancer?'

Kendrick Lamar's historic halftime show at the 2025 Super Bowl was not welcomed by some.

The rapper headlined the Halftime Show when the Kansas City Chiefs played the Philadelphia Eagles at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. Across his set, he performed several of his hit songs such as "DNA," "Humble," "All the Stars," and "Luther." His performance also included an appearance from SZA as well as Samuel Jackson who appeared as Uncle Sam.

While Lamar had performed at a Halftime Show before -- he appeared in 2022 as part of a salute to West Coast hip-hop -- this time around, his appearance was hotly debated given the current political climate. Social media users were quick to note that there appeared to be no white performers during Lamar's show, causing the debate over DEI to rage.

"There were no white dancers" - stop! Plenty to criticize or not understand but not this. Kendrick is from Compton. Did we want a DEI white dancer just to check a box?" one person wrote on X.

"How in the f-ck is a show that features people at the got d-mn top of their professions—Samuel L. Jackson, Serena Williams & Kendrick Lamar—even remotely about DEI?! Just proves that when these people say 'DEI,' they're really just cowardly racists saying they hate black people," another wrote.

"No DEI whites in Kendrick Lamar's half time. Imagine if there was a halftime with all white background dancers and singers," another shared.

"Kendrick Lamar needs some DEI training. Not a single white man or woman on stage with him. No, I'm not a racist," another added.

"Conservatives and Republicans on X, your true colors and biases against modern hip hop and black culture are clear. The halftime show wasn't about DEI Kendrick Lamar showcased our California culture. You just choose not to understand it," another added.

Lamar has not responded to all of the debate over his performance. However, he wasn't the only person to be the subject of criticism over the show as Jay-Z was slammed for it as well. Jay-Z has presided over the choice of halftime show acts since his company, Roc Nation, partnered with the NFL in 2019. Because of this, fans pointed their anger at Jay-Z.

"NO MORE RAPPERS AT THE SUPER BOWL!! it's been 6 years since jay-z has taken control of picking the artists and we are tired of the atlanta conventions!! the super bowl is supposed to be a SPECTACLE and nobody does spectacles like POP STARS! FIX UP NEXT YEAR!" one person wrote.

"More like no more Jay-Z halftime DEI crap. Get back to putting up artists that actually have a catalog of hit songs over a decade long," another added.

Lamar was further flanked by controversy when he boldly performed his Drake diss song "Not Like Us," despite it being the subject of a lawsuit from Drake against UMG.

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Kendrick Lamar, Super Bowl, Super bowl halftime show