Kendrick Lamar promises “Storytelling” at his Super Bowl show

Kendrick Lamar 37, is on the rise at the moment and about to reach one of the greatest milestones of his career.

After winning five Grammy awards, including song of the year and recording of the year with his hit “Not Like US”, Lamar will be the main attraction of the Super Bowl Lix interval show, which will take place next Sunday (9).

Lamar gave a rare interview during the press conference of Apple Music Super Bowl, held on Thursday (6), where he was asked about what the public could expect from their presentation .

Storytelling, ”replied Lamar. “I was always very open to tell stories through my catalog and My trajectory in music . And I always had a passion to take this to any stage I am in. ”

Rapper fans are extremely excited, but there is also a great expectation of how it will deal with the song “Not Like Us”, especially due to its content and a JUDICIAL PROCESS IN PROGRESS INVOLVING THE HIT . The track is part of a viral rap battle between Lamar and Drake, which occurred last year and generated a complex legal case.

Leah Stevenson MGL Law’s entertainment lawyer, explained that what started as a rivalry between two of the biggest hip hop stars turned into something much wider . “Music has generated a national discussion about the defense of moral principles, values ​​and beliefs, as well as influence our attitudes,” she told CNN .

“It has been used at important cultural times, becoming much more than a simple exchange of provocations.”

For this reason, and for others, all eyes will be facing Lamar when he takes the stage against millions in the Super Bowl.

Legal issues

Last month, Drake sued his own label, the UMG Recordings Inc., at the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. The Canadian rapper and actor accused him of defamation by publishing and promoting the song “Not Like US”, seeking compensatory and punitive damage.

Drake is currently represented by Republic Records, a division of UMG, while Lamar is represented by Interscope Records, also part of UMG. It is worth mentioning that Lamar is not a defendant in the process .

“Not only are these allegations false, but the idea that we would try to harm any artist’s reputation-especially Drake-is absurd,” a UMG spokesman said in a statement to a statement CNN when the process was presented.

“We do not practice and do not practice defamation against any individual. At the same time, we will vigorously defend this dispute to protect our team and our reputation, as well as any artist who, directly or indirectly, can be the target of a foundation without just writing a song. ”

Part of what Drake disputes – and denies vehemently – are the lyrics of Lamar in which he says, “And then, Drake, I heard that you like them brand new / You better never go to the Block one of the prison,” as well as “Certified Love Boy?” Certified Pedophiles ”, and another part where he states,” Trying to play a rope and is probably a smaller one. “

The question now is whether Lamar’s presentation in the Super Bowl could result in more cool Drake actions, as he sued UMG for defamation. The answer, according to Leah Stevenson, is not necessarily.

She noted that Lamar has several options on how to deal with it during the break show.

“There may be a requirement so that it does not present certain excerpts, as in a radio edition, where we are seeing that words like ‘there minor’ and other expressions in ‘not like us’ are problematic and therefore can be removed or cut of performance, ”he explained.

“It’s possible that Kendrick can’t say these words, but that doesn’t mean the Super Bowl audience, nor the millions of Americans at their parties, will stop singing these verses.”

THE CNN He contacted NFL to find out if any limitation was imposed on Lamar regarding the presentation of the song.

The essence of Kdot

Stevenson’s point on the popularity of “not like US” was reinforced by Craig Arthur Associate Professor at the Virginia Tech Transdisciplinary Studies Academy and one of the co -founders of VTDITC: Hip Hop Studies.

“He is possibly the most relevant rapper of today . Much of Hip Hop has become uniform in terms of regional sounds, but I feel that Kendrick really kept his roots from Los Angeles, ”Arthur said in a statement. “In a world where many try to sound like others or emulate other artists, He has a unique sound and voice . I think he has, due to his position, the freedom to explore concepts and themes that many others avoid. ”

This year’s Super Bowl game takes place in New Orleans, and “Not Like Us” has been a large part of the preparation for the Sunday event.

From being played during the opening ceremony on Monday (3), in the media center, to joining the NFL Super Bowl Experience, it has been impossible to escape what is now possibly the most famous provocation song to reach the stops.

Lamar, known as Kdot for his fans, is about to perform to the biggest audience of his career, on a stage with a story marked by controversy.

From the “wardrobe malfunction” of Janet Jackson in 2004, to Mia . Showing the middle finger in 2012, and Beyoncé evoking the black panthers in 2016, the interval show has always been the scene of viral moments.

However, for Lamar, “not like us” is more than a simple provocation to another artist. “Not like US is the energy of who I am, the kind of man I represent,” Lamar told her friend and collaborator SZA In a conversation for Harper’s Bazaar in October.

“Now, if you identify with the man I represent… This man has morals, has values, believes in something and defends something. He’s not flattering. ”

“He is a man who recognizes his mistakes and is not afraid to share them. It can deeply dive into fear-based ideologies or experiences without feeling less man, ”added Compton native California. “If I’m thinking of ‘not like US’, I’m thinking of myself and who identifies with it.”

During the press conference on Thursday, Lamar was asked about his great Grammy wins the previous weekend.

“I was just thinking about culture, really,” he said. “When people talk about rap, in the conversations I hear, they think it’s just rap and not a real art form. So, when you put so on evidence, it reminds people that this is more than something that came about 50 years ago . ”

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This content was originally published in Kendrick Lamar promises “Storytelling” on his Super Bowl show on CNN Brazil.

Source: CNN Brasil