
Apparently, explicit dance moves, alleged anti-American imagery, and Kendrick Lamar's beef with Drake were enough to warrant complaints — 125 of them, to be exact — to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over Lamar's Super Bowl LIX halftime performance.
Lamar, who performed his diss track "Not Like Us" during the championship between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, featured some controversial content during hos performance, although Lamar cut out his most inflammatory lines for the TV airings.
With the edits, several viewers found the performance problematic. TMZ obtained complaints that mentioned Lamar directly 10 times. In one complaint, the rapper was accused of using his platform to advance "a personal vendetta." Another user added, " Kendrick lamar made fake false and scandalous claims that are unfounded."
say drake 😩
— Genius (@Genius) February 10, 2025
this kendrick #superbowl performance is an all-time victory lap 😭
pic.twitter.com/UzBzCfbDjW
On top of Lamar's lyrics, tennis great Serena Williams also drew criticism for briefly showing up onstage to do a dance step associated with the Crips, a gang originally based in Compton. One complaint claimed she was promoting "gang affiliation."
SERENA WILLIAMS DURING KENDRICK LAMAR’S HALFTIME PERFORMANCE pic.twitter.com/54HMNE9WNr
— Brooklyn White-Grier (@brooklynrwhite) February 10, 2025
In fact, Williams came under attack last 12 months for using the same "Crip Walk" when she celebrated winning her gold medal at the 2012 Olympics.
Other viewers criticized other elements of the show, such as a moment showing a split American flag that some complaints to the FCC claimed was "anti-American." Lamar's choreography also raised eyebrows among some, with a video showing him grabbing his crotch.
Record Viewership in Spite of Controversy
However controversial it may be, Lamar blew up a record for the most-watched Super Bowl halftime overall performance ever. An average of 133.5 million people watched, higher than the overall average audience of 127.7 million for the game across all of Fox's platforms, according to Front Office Sports.
However, the 13-minute set—filled with appearances from SZA and Samuel L. Jackson—also focused on some of Lamar's biggest songs, including "DNA," "HUMBLE," along with a couple of recent tracks, "Squabble Up" and "Luther."
While that debate rages on, the FCC has yet to say if any further action will be taken regarding the complaints related to the halftime show.
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