Not the Eagles. Certainly not the Chiefs. It was Kendrick Lamar who made a statement in the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show. The statement? GAME OVER! Because for him, the game is indeed over, and he, has won. Calling out his nemesis, Drake, throughout the 13-minute performance, getting Drake’s exes Serena Williams and SZA to dance and sing, giving the most watched performance ever with 133.5 million viewers and surpassing none other than Michael Jackson– are you kidding me?! But is the 37-year-old hip hop star the only celebrity to raise the stakes in halftime shows and divide the fans? Certainly not!

Over the years, fans of the sport have found many worst performances that they would rather forget. Remember just a couple of months ago when Beyonce took over the NRG Stadium in Houston for Netflix’s Christmas Gameday broadcast? During her Texas hold ’em performance, Queen Bey, with no hesitation, pulled the hand gun gesture as the word ‘Bang’ unfurled behind her. It is one of the gestures that NFL has banned and fines players if they do it to their opponents during the games. If not that, then SB LIII when Adam Levine showed off his abs to only annoy the already stung viewers who wanted to enjoy some Southern hip hop as the event returned to Atlanta in twenty years. Or the Black Eyed Peas from SB XLV with the set’s audio issues and Usher’s cameo with out-of-sync backup dancers. Halftime shows have always been criticized for being edgy or simply not worth-it and why not when most of the audience tune in just for the same. However, finding something that can even closely resemble what Kendrick Lamar pulled off on Sunday just might be a big challenge.

Despite Uncle Sam taking away one lifeline off of the Pulitzer-winning hip-hop legend, he successfully made political statements to prove his point. In fact, it is safe to say that although Drake was over 9,000 miles away in Australia, all the heat from the Halftime Show must have got to him as Kendrick Lamar successfully roasted the Canadian rapper in front of 75,000 attendees and Donald Trump, Taylor Swift, Bradley Cooper, and many more as he broke into his controversial Drake diss track “Not Like Us” after teasing the same throughout his stage time.

One of the admirers who also tuned in and made sure to keep her eyes on the performance was Claressa Shields. Laughing out loud, the three-division undisputed champion tweeted, “Damn!!!!!!!! @kendricklamar 🤣🤩🤩🤩🤩!!!.” Perhaps Lamar’s Super Bowl performance wasn’t just about music – it was a statement.

‘Not Like Us‘ is the fifth song released in May last year in a series of diss tracks where Kendrick Lamar criticized the Canadian rapper Drake. This series of songs is part of their long-running feud. Undoubtedly mixing symbolism, high-profile guest appearances (including Serena Williams), and crowd engagement, Lamar probably cemented his dominance in one of hip-hop’s most public battles.

Through its official X handle, the NFL shared the short footage where Lamar signed off, saying, “Turn this TV off, huh? Turn this TV off. Turn this TV off.” In a symbolic gesture, as if declaring himself the undisputed winner of the feud, sending fans into overdrive, the words ‘Game Over’ lit up behind him.

Claressa Shields wasn’t done just yet. She continued to repost reactions and even congratulated MVP Jalen Hurts on his performance. But Shields wasn’t the only sports figure sharing her thoughts on Lamar’s electrifying set.

Top Comment by Da Boo

It was the worst halftime show ever. Who cares about drake or him we were looking to be entertained it...more

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Celebrity reactions pour in as Kendrick Lamar sets stage on fire

While the rapper became the first hip-hop artist to take the centerstage for a primarily a solo performance in SB Halftime Show history, this was not his debut on the stage of the Big Game. In fact, he has been part of the rodeo of hip-hop and R&B icons from 2022 SB LVI. He shared the stage with big guns of the industry like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent and Anderson Paak in the 15-minute performance.

Basketball icon ‘Magic’ Johnson praised the halftime show, saying Lamar ‘brought the house down.’ He added, “I loved his song selection, and the production was amazing! SZA sounded great, and I loved seeing my friend Serena Williams and my good friend Samuel L. Jackson as ‘Uncle Sam!”

Jackson was dressed in the star-spangled attire with a top hat and segued Lamar’s performance, warning him what the NFL audience like to see. However, it did little to no effect on the rapper as he did do what he liked. For the most part, the internet liked it too!

Within the boxing world, Terence Crawford – who had recently accompanied Shields during her ring walk against Danielle Perkins – cheered for the Eagles, tweeting, “Let’s go Eagles!!! Even though I’m mad y’all beat my team.”

On the boxing front, Claressa Shields is already planning her next moves. She’s expressed interest in rematches against Franchon Crews-Dezurn and Hanna Gabriels. However, fans were surprised when she mentioned Laila Ali – daughter of the legendary Muhammad Ali. The two have been at odds for some time, with Shields previously calling out Ali for a fight.

And of course, a potential rematch with her archrival Savannah Marshall, whom she defeated two years ago, remains on the horizon. Does bringing personal rivalries into such a major sporting event enhance the spectacle – or detract from it? What do you think?