Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

As it happenedended

Super Bowl 2025: Reactions to Kendrick half-time show and Taylor Swift booing as Eagles crush Chiefs

Kendrick Lamar joined by SZA as celebrities including Paul McCartney among fans at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans

Roisin O'Connor,Tom Murray,Greg Evans,Inga Parkel
Tuesday 11 February 2025 13:40 GMT
Comments
Super Bowl 2025 Halftime Show: Kendrick Lamar's best moments

Kendrick Lamar delivered a blistering set as he headlined the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show tonight as the Philadelphia Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chiefs with a final score of 22-40.

Pop star Taylor Swift cheered on her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, but was ultimately left crestfallen as the team failed to secure a historic third consecutive Super Bowl.

Lamar was joined onstage by his frequent collaborator SZA, along with surprise guests Samuel L Jackson and Serena Williams, as he delivered a medley of favourites including his Grammy-winning Drake diss track, “Not Like Us”.

Viewers got to take part in some celebrity spotting as Swift was joined in her box by friends including rapper Ice Spice and the Haim sisters. However, her longtime pals Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds appeared to skip the event.

US President Donald Trump was also in attendance but left early after his Chiefs win prediction fell flat.

This year’s event took place in New Orleans at the Caesars Superdome.

Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl halftime show 2025: All the surprise guests and setlist in full

Kendrick Lamar gave a showstopping halftime performance at the 2025 Super Bowl that celebrated both old and new hits and featured a few famous faces and voices.

Dressed in a leather sports jacket, jeans and a backward cap, the 37-year-old Grammy-winning rapper took the field on Sunday, following his recent Grammy victories, to deliver an energetic and unforgettable concert.

Before he took the stage, though, he was introduced by Oscar-nominated actor Samuel L. Jackson dressed as Uncle Sam. The Pulp Fiction actor stayed throughout the show to introduce each segment.

Lamar was later joined by his longtime collaborator and R&B singer SZA to deliver spot-on renditions of their songs “luther” and “All the Stars.”

Toward the end of the rapper’s performance, the cameras panned to his backup dancers, which featured an unexpected cameo from tennis superstar Serena Williams.

Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl halftime show setlist and surprise guests in full

Grammy-winning rapper took the NFL field with an energetic and unforgettable performance
Inga Parkel10 February 2025 03:03

That's it! Game over, sorry Chiefs

Again, not a sports expert, but I think it’s safe to say the Eagles wiped the floor with the Chiefs.

Roisin O'Connor10 February 2025 03:07

Ben Stiller: 'Best halftime show ever'

One person who particularly appreciated Lamar’s halftime show was Ben Stiller. He tweeted: “Best halftime show ever..”

Tom Murray10 February 2025 03:18

Trump leaves Super Bowl early

Trump left the Super Bowl surprisingly early after his pre-game prediction of a victory for the Kansas City Chiefs fell short.

Read more:

Trump leaves Super Bowl early after Chiefs prediction falls flat

The president was pictured getting back onboard Air Force One more than an hour before the conclusion of the Big Game
Tom Murray10 February 2025 03:24

How Kendrick Lamar's halftime show went down

Kendrick Lamar put on a blistering Super Bowl halftime show, as he brought out surprise guests Samuel L Jackson and Serena Williams as well as his longtime collaborator SZA at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

Roisin O’Connor recaps the performance here:

Kendrick Lamar KOs Drake in blistering Super Bowl halftime show

Grammy-winning rapper took aim at Drake on the world stage as Taylor Swift supported her devastated boyfriend Travis Kelce
Tom Murray10 February 2025 03:43

Watch: Super Bowl 2025 Halftime Show: Kendrick Lamar's best moments

Super Bowl 2025 Halftime Show: Kendrick Lamar's best moments
Tom Murray10 February 2025 04:00

REVIEW: Kendrick Lamar’s Drake-baiting was a smoke-screen – his Super Bowl show represented a righteous nation baring its teeth

In a five-star review for The Independent, Mark Beaumont writes: “As Lamar raps at one point, ‘this is bigger than the music,’ and tonight will undoubtedly go down as one of the most important halftime shows in the history of the event, if not the most significant mass-televised rap performance of all time. The Drake-baiting was a smokescreen; what really happened was a righteous nation showed up and bared its teeth. The great American game has only just begun. Go eagles.”

Kendrick Lamar’s Drake-baiting at the Super Bowl was a smoke-screen - review

Hip-hop king’s performance will undoubtedly go down as one of the most important halftime shows in the history of the event, if not the most significant mass-televised rap performance of all time
Tom Murray10 February 2025 04:25

Video: Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Halftime Show interrupted by Palestine protester

Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Halftime Show interrupted by Palestine protester
10 February 2025 04:52

Tom Brady delivers brutal verdict on Patrick Mahomes

The NFL legend, who won the Super Bowl seven times from 10 games, has been compared with Mahomes when discussing the greatest quarterback in the sport’s history.

In the build-up to the game in New Orleans, the Fox commentator highlighted the risk for Mahomes should he lose: “If you don't win, you're 3-2 in Super Bowls, and it's not a great feeling and there is a lot of pressure.”

Read more:

Tom Brady delivers brutal verdict on Patrick Mahomes after crushing Super Bowl loss

The Chiefs failed in their attempt to win a third successive Super Bowl after defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles, with Brady sharing the harsh reality for Mahomes
Tom Murray10 February 2025 05:25

Watch: Taylor Swift’s three-word response to Super Bowl crowd’s boos

Taylor Swift reacts as Super Bowl 2025 crowd appears to boo her
Tom Murray10 February 2025 05:53

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in