Kendrick Lamar delivered a powerful message on one of the world's largest stages, the Super Bowl halftime show, held last weekend at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. With 70,000 fans in attendance, Lamar's performance echoed his most famous lyric from the Grammy-winning track "Not Like Us," a pointed critique aimed at his rival, Drake. The show was not only a musical triumph but also a protest against the commercialization of hip-hop, featuring elements of the black power movement, imagery of a divided United States, and a unifying message.
Lamar, who sees rap as an evolving sport, drew inspiration from battle rap for his lyrical exchanges with Drake. He expressed that the success of "Not Like Us" and being the first solo hip-hop artist to lead the halftime show "meant everything" to him. He voiced concerns about rap being reduced to mere catchy tunes, emphasizing that his feud with Drake stemmed from a desire to elevate rap's artistic value.
"Tryna strike a chord and it's probably A-minor." – Kendrick Lamar
Drake, known for his immense commercial success and social media presence with 143 million Instagram followers, remains a dominant figure in the hip-hop industry. Despite his popularity, some critics argue that Drake is responsible for diluting the genre's essence. Margs, a London-based rapper, believes that Lamar's success will bring renewed attention to battle rap, although he acknowledges that emerging artists are finding alternative ways to establish their presence.
"Drake is the face of the hip-hop scene as it is." – Margs
Lamar's halftime performance highlighted his commitment to preserving the cultural heritage of battle rap. He aims to defend and celebrate this art form amidst a changing musical landscape. Conversely, Layyah, a female rapper, notes that contemporary artists she admires, like Central Cee, have achieved success through different avenues rather than traditional battle rap.
"It's more like who can make a great song and then who can make the best routine to it." – Layyah
The ongoing feud between Lamar and Drake has been relatively quiet since Lamar released "Not Like Us" last summer. The track's acclaim resonated within the hip-hop community and beyond, capturing listeners with its sharp critique and artistic depth. As the industry evolves, artists like Lamar continue to challenge the norms and push for authenticity in their music.
Margs further elaborates on the role of hip-hop as a platform for political expression and social commentary. He asserts that hip-hop was historically politicized and served as a medium for artists to voice their messages.
"They cared about the message and what it stands for because hip-hop was something that was heavily politicised." – Margs
"People used to use their voices in hip-hop to protest and get their messages out." – Margs
The competitive nature of battle rap embodies a spirit of sportsmanship, according to Margs. However, he emphasizes that it should remain within the realm of music and not escalate beyond that.
"There's a sportsmanship to it but never spills over into more than that." – Margs
In contrast, Layyah points out that viral success can be achieved without engaging in traditional battle raps. Social media plays a significant role in determining an artist's reach and impact.
"If that goes viral then it's a great song, you don't really have to do the battle raps." – Layyah
Margs also highlights the distinction between social media battles and traditional battle rap. The former often relies on popularity or humor, while the latter focuses on lyrical prowess and skill.
"You can win a battle on social media just through popularity or being funny… whereas with battle rap it's all about your lyrics and your skill." – Margs
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