This year’s halftime show was headlined by Kendrick Lamar, with a feature of SZA and it had some mixed reactions. 

To start off I just want to mention that I personally really enjoyed it. I think the messages that were incorporated into the show went over a lot of people’s heads, but for those who understood, they were very meaningful. The dancers were entertaining, Kendrick Lamar’s songs were hits, and the SZA feature was of course, flawless. I do think it was missing a bit of the spark that a Superbowl show needs. There could have been a lot more energy and movement. Compared to Rihanna’s show (when she was pregnant) this show was severely lacking energy and excitement. But bringing out Samuel L Jackson and the whole theme was engaging. Also, the way that he would hint at “Not Like Us” (Kendrick Lamar’s diss track to rapper, Drake) caught my attention and was amusing. 

I interviewed music lover and fellow Pony Express writer Kylie Bricker to see what she thought of the show. She said, “As a fan of Kendrick Lamar prior to the halftime show I really enjoyed the performance, especially with SZA, and I loved to see the little messages that were woven through the performance.” Rated- 8/10 

I also talked to Sophia Hodges and Sophia Adams who are also writers on the pony express. 

Hodges said, “I would say it was just average, due to the beginning, there was a lack of interaction, she felt like he was just there. She was expecting more and hoping for some more excitement. But she did think it was funny that Samuel L Jackson was there, and she liked that he sang not like us, throwing shade at Drake” She rated it 7/10. 

Sophia Adams, however, said that the best part was SZA, and she likes Drake better. Definitely not a Kendrick fan. 5/10 

Next, I talked to Drew Stegemeyer, Drew said he considers himself a fan of Kendrick and he liked the show. He said Kendrick is a good rapper and the songs were good, he liked the set and the choreography, and how so many people came out of the car. He liked how Serena Williams got to join the dancers on stage as well. If he could change anything he said he would turn the mics up because it was a little quiet, but other than that he really enjoyed the show. And rated it 8/10. 

Whether you are a Kendrick fan or not, you can agree that the show had its positives and some things that could have been better. The Superbowl halftime show is one of the biggest stages in America for a performer which comes with a lot of pressure. We, as the audience, need to remember that we aren’t in a place to judge because we could never do what he just did. Kendrick Lamar seemed to have been having a ton of fun up on stage, he was smiling the whole time, which connected with many people in the audience. Overall, it is clear that he is an incredible artist who’s continuing to rise, releasing more than just songs into the world! All we can do now is wait for Drake’s reaction.