While sports fans are focused on the Super Bowl matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, hip-hop fans are looking forward to Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance. And they are specifically asking the question: will he perform “Not Like Us?”
Truth is, his fans are looking forward to hearing some of his other hit songs, specifically those from “GNX,” but everyone will be tuned in to see if Lamar continues to step on Drake’s grave even more.
This is especially interesting since the Toronto rapper filed a defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), accusing the company of launching a smear campaign that would create a hit that was meant to ruin the reputation of Drake by making a “false factual allegation” that the Toronto rapper is a “certified pedophile.”
In the suit, the 6-God’s attorneys quote several of Lamar’s lyrics in the song and argue why they think those words defame their client.
Drake’s move has been heavily criticized by many hip-hop purists, and internet personalities. And while Lamar performing it again on one of the biggest stages would give Drake the biggest” L” in rap history, it could possibly put Lamar in legal danger, though the suit doesn’t name the Compton rapper.
Now of course he could perform and not rap the words at all. There have already been several promos of Lamar’s performance which uses the instrumental version of the track.
But will Lamar perform the track? And if he wants to, will the NFL allow him?
We have to remember that the Super Bowl is a live television event, which means they can censor K. Dot from saying certain words in front of an audience that averages more than 100 million viewers.
Let’s listen to the clean version of “Not Like Us.” Every other word is being bleeped out, making it much harder for Lamar to perform.
Furthermore, whether fans respect it or not, Drake’s lawsuit plays a factor in this. Even though UMG is not backing down from the Toronto rapper, they may not want Lamar to perform the diss track in front of the entire world, which may give credence to Drake’s case.
The only question is... does Lamar even care? Maybe his disgust with Drake is so high that Lamar is not worried about the consequences and will simply perform the track as one last final victory lap. Considering how he’s been moving the last year, it wouldn’t shock anyone, but could it hurt him with UMG.