Kid Rock “Respects” Super Bowl Show with Kendrick Lamar, Calling it the “Embodiment of Explosion”

Kid Rock’s Thoughts

Kid Rock shared his thoughts about Kendrick Lamar’s performance during the Super Bowl last week – check out his comments below.

Kendrick Lamar’s Historic Performance

On February 10, Kendrick Lamar made history by becoming the first solo rapper to headline the coveted halftime show. Reports soon highlighted that the performance attracted 133.5 million viewers on-air, alongside more than 38 million views on YouTube, cementing it as the most-watched Super Bowl halftime performance of all time.

Despite the record-breaking viewership, reactions to the performance were mixed, with some labeling it a “masterpiece” while others called it “the worst execution of a halftime show in the last decade.”

Kid Rock’s Reaction

Rapper Kid Rock, who previously performed at the 2004 Super Bowl, shared his opinion on Lamar’s halftime show during a recent episode of Real Time with Bill Maher. He stated, “Honestly, it was not my cup of tea, but I respect it. You know, I grew up loving and imitating hip-hop, so I understand the culture a bit more than most people, especially white people.”

Kid Rock emphasized, “When you look at the performance, everyone has their opinions. But I appreciate that Kendrick is unapologetically himself, doing what he loves for the audience that resonates with his message.”

He went on to question how Kendrick was able to land the high-profile gig, referencing Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling during the national anthem in 2016: “I wonder how Kendrick got this concert. Jay-Z, what happened? I think Jay-Z and Kendrick should send Kaepernick a thank-you note along with some pies and beer, because without that kneeling, we might not be seeing this now.”

Kid Rock concluded that Lamar’s performance symbolized the disappearance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the United States: “It was the embodiment of DEI exploding. The NFL has pushed for all this DEI stuff. Kendrick’s show transformed it into something truly remarkable and exclusive.”

Just after the Super Bowl, Kendrick Lamar, who recently won five awards at the 2025 Grammys—including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for his track “Not Like Us”—added two additional dates to his upcoming “Great National Stadium Tour 2025,” with shows in London and Paris. Check the full list of dates for ticket information.