👋 Looking for the perfect way to end a rap beef? Try performing your Grammy-winning diss track during the Super Bowl halftime show, with your rival's ex dancing beside you (in case you missed it, here’s Part 1 of our beef breakdown).

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FEATURE

♟️ Kendrick's Super Bowl Checkmate

Kendrick Lamar weaponized the Super Bowl halftime show, delivering what may be the final word in rap's greatest rivalry.

1. Setting the Stage 

When the lights dimmed in New Orleans, speculation buzzed through the crowd about whether Lamar would dare perform "Not Like Us," his Grammy-winning diss track aimed at Drake.

The Pulitzer Prize winner answered that question with a masterfully choreographed 13-minute set that wove the conflict throughout every element of the performance.

2. Return of the Queen 

The first shock came when tennis legend Serena Williams emerged during "Not Like Us," executing her infamous Crip Walk - a dance that once sparked controversy at Wimbledon in 2012.

The moment carried extra weight given Williams' past relationship with Drake, who once watched adoringly from her tennis boxes between 2011 and 2015. Now, married to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, Williams seemed to relish her role in the evening's narrative.

3. Calculated Strikes. 

Lamar's performance escalated with surgical precision. Looking directly into the camera with a knowing smile, he delivered the line "Say Drake, I hear you like 'em young" - though notably omitting certain controversial lyrics, likely due to FCC regulations.

The crowd's participation reached a crescendo as they chanted "tryna strike a chord, and it's probably A minor," transforming the diss track into a stadium-wide moment.

4. Visual Warfare 

The production itself spoke volumes. As Lamar stalked the stage, a large diamond necklace with a lowercase "a" caught the stadium lights - a piece many interpreted as referencing the controversial "A minor" lyric from "Not Like Us." As he transitioned between tracks, the field morphed into a giant video game controller. When the final notes faded, the stadium lights revealed a message that left little room for interpretation: "Game Over."

The Final Word? While Lamar commanded American sports' biggest stage, Drake performed his Anita Max Win Tour show in Melbourne, Australia - a geographical divide that seemed to underscore the evening's power dynamics.

Following multiple Grammy wins and now this triumphant Super Bowl performance, Lamar appears to have written what might be the final chapter in this generational hip-hop rivalry.

Go Deeper: Here’s the full beef and how it started, explained.

SONG OF THE WEEK

📀 Kendrick Lamar’s “Wacced Out Murals” | 4/5⭐

Some fans say this is the new Drake diss. Opening GNX with calculated precision, Kendrick transforms a local incident – the defacement of his Compton mural – into what appears to be his latest chess move against Drake:

• "Paint over truth but can't paint over proof" possibly addresses Drake's AI controversy

• "Artificial intelligence, artificial innocence" delivers direct callback to "Taylor Made Freestyle" debate

• References to "borrowed voices" and "rented legends" seem to critique Drake's AI-generated Tupac vocals

• Lines about "borrowed authenticity" hit harder given Drake's recent AI experiments

• "Kill 'em all before I let 'em kill my joy" reads like both neighborhood story and industry warning

The track's genius lies in its plausible deniability – every apparent diss doubles as legitimate social commentary, allowing Kendrick to maintain artistic high ground while landing precise strikes.

Honorable Mentions:

• Hard Life, Kevin Abstract’s “Dear Miss Holloway” | Life is easy.

• Matt Champion’s “Aphid” | Get ready to turn on repeat.

• Mac Miller’s “Aye” | RIP and still kicking incredibly dope shit.

MEME