The Super Bowl halftime show has featured some of the biggest music stars, but this year was different. Kendrick Lamar was the first solo hip-hop artist to headline the event, and instead of a flashy show, he made the night feel personal, loud, and impossible to ignore. With high energy, clear visuals, and a stadium full of fans shouting every word back at him, Kendrick showed everyone why he is one of the best in modern hip-hop.

Samuel L. Jackson, dressed as Uncle Sam, introduced Kendrick, who quickly took over the stadium. With dancers in red, white, and blue, Kendrick performed songs such as “Squabble Up,” “HUMBLE.”, and “DNA.” before the whole arena went wild during “Not Like Us.” The crowd’s loud reaction turned one of the biggest songs of the year into the defining moment of the night.

The show also featured SZA, Serena Williams, and DJ Mustard, but all attention stayed on Kendrick. Calm, confident, and fully focused, he led the show with a presence that only a few artists can have on such a big stage.

Every decision — Above all, the halftime show felt bold. Every choice — from the stage setup and dance moves to the song list — showed an artist fully embracing the moment instead of playing it safe. And honestly, that’s what made the performance memorable. It didn’t feel like Kendrick Lamar was trying to fit into the Super Bowl. It felt like the Super Bowl was stepping into Kendrick Lamar’s world for 15 minutes.

Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show made a statement before the music even started. He began the show sitting atop a 1987 Buick Grand National GNX, the same car that inspired the name of his latest album, GNX. Before starting the songs, he referenced Gil Scott-Heron’s famous 1971 line and changed it to his own version: “The revolution ‘bout to be televised.” After that, the stadium hardly had time to catch its breath.

Here is a list of every song Kendrick Lamar performed during his Super Bowl halftime show, combining classic hits, recent GNX tracks, and songs that have been central to discussions about him over the past year.

• “Squabble Up”
• “HUMBLE.”
• “DNA.”
• “euphoria”
• “man at the garden”
• “peekaboo”
• “Luther”
• “All the Stars” (with SZA)
• “TV OFF” (with DJ Mustard)
• “Not Like Us”

The guest appearances brought even more energy to the show without stealing the spotlight from Kendrick. SZA slowed the pace with a smooth performance of “All the Stars,” while DJ Mustard helped make “TV OFF” one of the loudest moments of the night. But when “Not Like Us” began, the stadium went wild. Fans shouted every lyric back at Kendrick, making the performance feel much bigger than a usual halftime show.

And yes, Kendrick fully embraced the tension from his ongoing feud with Drake. The crowd’s reaction to the famous “A minor” line was deafening, with thousands loudly chanting it back as if the whole stadium had been waiting for that moment all night. Given the legal issues and controversy around the song over the past year, many wondered if Kendrick would even perform it. Instead, he went all in and made it one of the most memorable parts of the show.

Even though the halftime show was all about Kendrick Lamar, he still brought some big names on stage with him. The difference was that none of the guests felt out of place or forced. Each one matched the mood of the performance, adding to the overall feeling rather than detracting from Kendrick or diverting the momentum of the night during “Luther” and “All the Stars.” In the middle of Kendrick’s intense performance, the energy slowed down for a bit and the whole stadium seemed focused on the connection between the two artists. Then DJ Mustard came in during “TV OFF,” quickly bringing the energy back up as the stadium went wild when the beat dropped.

The biggest talking point online, though, came from Serena Williams appearing during “Not Like Us.” Considering her history with Drake, social media immediately exploded with reactions the second she appeared on screen. And once the crowd started screaming the “A minor” line back at Kendrick, the whole moment appeared even more loaded. What already felt like a direct shot during the Drake feud suddenly turned into one of the loudest moments of the entire night.

The visuals had much more meaning than people first noticed. Kendrick’s dancers wore matching red, white, and blue outfits as they formed patterns resembling a flag during parts of the show. With Samuel L. Jackson starting the show dressed like Uncle Sam, the whole stage setup felt very planned. It looked patriotic on the surface, but Kendrick used those symbols in a much sharper, deeper way than in a usual Super Bowl performance.

What made the guest appearances work so well was how smoothly everything fit together. No one stayed too long, no one felt added just for attention, and the show always felt like Kendrick’s from start to finish. By the time the halftime set ended, it felt less like a bunch of celebrity appearances and more like Kendrick sharing different parts of his story on the biggest stage possible.