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Rb Hip Hop

Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Received 125 FCC Complaints

Several viewers cited Lamar's lyrics, choreography, and guest appearances as points of concern.

Kendrick Lamar performs onstage during Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show at Caesars Superdome on February 9, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Kendrick Lamar performs onstage during Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show at Caesars Superdome on February 9, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

Kendrick Lamar’s historic Super Bowl Halftime performance may have broken records — but it also ruffled some feathers.

The Grammy-winning rapper’s appearance at Super Bowl LIX drew 125 formal complaints to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), according to a newly obtained report cited by The Hill. Complaints ranged from accusations that the performance was “provocative dancing” to claims of “racism” and “gang affiliation,” with several viewers citing Lamar’s lyrics, choreography, and guest appearances as points of concern.


The Feb. 9 show — which made Lamar the first solo rapper to headline the Super Bowl Halftime Show — featured cuts from his acclaimed discography and his recent album GNX, including a censored version of “Not Like Us,” his widely publicized diss track aimed at Drake.

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One viewer wrote that their children “should not have been subjected to seeing and hearing the language and gestures,” while another said, “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.”

Another complaint criticized the show for being “divisive, downgrading, and filled with profanity,” while others took issue with the racial composition of the performance. One viewer wrote, “There wasn’t one white person in the whole show. They get away with it but if it was all white it would be a different story… This was a disgrace and it gets worse every year.”

A separate complaint reportedly referenced Serena Williams, who made a brief appearance during the show, alleging that her “crip-walking” promoted “gang affiliation.”

Despite the backlash, Lamar’s halftime appearance was met with widespread critical acclaim and quickly became the most-watched Super Bowl Halftime Show in history. His performance also served as a defining moment in his GNX album era, which debuted atop the chart dated Dec. 7, 2024, and returned to the top on the Feb. 22-dated chart in the wake of its physical release and Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show (Feb. 9).

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This article was originally published by Billboard U.S.

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Mumford & Sons
James Marcus Haney

Mumford & Sons

Rock

Mumford & Sons Coming to Toronto on Summer/Fall 2025 North American ‘Rushmere’ Tour

The 32-city outing hitting arenas and amphitheaters in support of the band's upcoming LP will kick off on June 5 in Oregon.

Mumford & Sons announced an extensive summer 2025 North American tour on Friday (March 28) in support of their just-released Rushmere album. To celebrate the folk rockers’ first LP in seven years, Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane will launch a summer tour of arenas and amphitheaters beginning on June 5 at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater in Bend, OR.

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