Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl LIX halftime performance drew 125 complaints to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), according to a report from TMZ. The majority of the offended audience took issue with the rapper's moves and language, including his beef with Drake.
This comes after Deion Sanders praised Lamar for the once-in-a-lifetime show. The Colorado Buffaloes head coach expressed his admiration writing, "God bless u my brother! That's the way to do YOU! We are Proud of u man. You represented us WELL!" Sanders' message reflected Lamar's ability to deliver an unforgettable moment on such a massive stage. K-Dot was also wearing Sanders' iconic Nike Air DT Max '96 during the performance.
Another report from The Hill detailed some of the FCC complaints, showing a divide with Sanders and the rest of the country. Believe it or not, it was dubbed as "racist" because "not one white person" was seen onstage.
"The halftime show was terrible with the language and gestures. My younger kids did not need to see and hear this!" one viewer from Lenox, Ill., wrote.
"I want to know why is it that there was not one white person involved???? I felt discriminated against and why was Uncle Sam Black when Uncle Sam is white?" another complaint from Daytona Beach, Fla., said.
Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Samuel L. Jackson introduces recording artist Kendrick Lamar performs during the halftime show of Super Bowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
While those two were short with context, one Super viewer from Catawba, NC put together an essay about why Lamar wasn't entertaining.
"That was the worst halftime show that I have ever seen," the viewer wrote to the FCC. "I'm glad that I couldn't understand most of what Kendrick Lamar was saying because I read the lyrics to a few of his songs, and I am appalled. It was divisive, downgrading, and filled with profanity. It is absolutely not appropriate entertainment for all ages."
"For the next Super Bowl, please consider hiring musical entertainment that is family friendly and not socially or politically centered," another viewer wrote. "It would be a nice change to have entertainment that truly shows what America should be; family, country, decency and respect. It is tiresome to have to send children out of the room during what should be a family event due to possible vulgarity and inappropriate language/gestures."
"They get away with it but if it was all white it would be a different story. The halftime show should have both Black and white and be appropriate for everyone. This was a disgrace and it gets worse every year," the viewer concluded.
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While Kendrick Lamar isn't everyone's cup of tea, numbers don't lie on his impact from the Super Bowl. The sales report for Sanders' signature Nike shoes showed a 413 percent increase after Lamar paid homage to the NFL great. Also, his Celine "Marco" jeans from the performance sold out instantly.
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Given how the Philadelphia Eagles picked apart the Kansas City Chiefs, it's amazing how more people didn't complain about three quarters of subpar football. Nonetheless, I guess this is another example of not being able to make everyone happy. Another solution could be not watching a halftime show featuring an artist you don't listen to on a normal basis. PBS might've had a Lawrence Welk re-run on at that time and could've been suitable for the children. Just one man's opinion.
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This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 12:35 PM.