Kanye West Claims Kendrick Lamar is His “Beloved” During a Break, Comparing Him to Michael Jackson

Kanye West praises Kendrick Lamar

Kanye West expressed his admiration for a recent performance by Kendrick Lamar during the Super Bowl, referring to him as his “beloved” following Michael Jackson’s iconic show in 1993.

Kendrick Lamar’s historic performance

On February 10, Kendrick Lamar made history as the first solo rapper to take the stage during the Super Bowl halftime show. He was joined by Sza, capturing the attention of prominent figures like Samuel L. Jackson and Serena Williams.

Lamar performed several tracks from his latest project “GNX,” including selections from “damn.” Additionally, he showcased two collaborations with Drake, one from “Euphoria” and the other from the Grammy-winning hit “Not Like Us.”

Following his performance, Kanye West shared his thoughts on Kendrick’s halftime show. A video circulating on X (formerly Twitter) captures Kanye praising Lamar’s impressive act.

Kanye remarked: “Many people asked me: ‘What did you think about Kendrick’s performance?’ I truly enjoyed the show. It was my favorite halftime show since Michael Jackson, which I barely remember but have seen clips of.”

He elaborated, “It was straightforward, yet fresh. The way they executed it (‘humbly’) was astonishing. It gave me chills. His vocal control was remarkable. And it sparked debates on whether he would perform ‘Not Like Us.’ In the end, I heard from everyone I spoke to in real life that this was the best halftime show.”

Kanye talks about Kendrick Lamar’s #Superbowl performance 👀

“I really liked the show. It was my favorite show from Michael Jackson.” pic.twitter.com/a7pytrwts

– nfr podcast (@nfr_podcast) February 10, 2025

Kendrick’s performance garnered mixed reactions from fans and viewers, with some labeling it a “masterpiece” while others criticized it as “the worst performance of the Super Bowl in the last decade.”

NME ranked Kendrick’s performance as the third-best halftime show in Super Bowl history, following Michael Jackson’s 1993 performance in second place and Prince’s in 2007 in first.

Kanye West, now legally known as YE, gave his endorsement of Kendrick Lamar’s performance after posting a series of controversial tweets over the weekend before deactivating his account.

During that weekend, he shared contradictory messages, apologizing to the Jewish community for past anti-Semitic comments while also declaring himself a “Nazi.”

He posted on Twitter, “I love Hitler,” praised billionaire Elon Musk as “the most lit man ever on Twitter,” and insinuated that others were envious of him. Musk himself faced criticism earlier this year for making Nazi gestures during Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration.

Kanye further asserted his “dominion” over his wife, Bianca Tsenkori, who made headlines for wearing a completely transparent dress that left little to the imagination on the Grammy Awards red carpet. He asserted that while he does not force her decisions, nothing could happen without his approval, criticizing critics of her outfit choice.

Additionally, he voiced his support for Diddy and Chris Brown while condemning the latter’s sexual violence charges. Amidst the tumult, he has been selling a white T-shirt emblazoned with a large swastika, labeled as “HH-01,” for $20. This name might reference a phrase associated with Nazi regime ideology.