In an interview with Ebro Darden and Nadeska Alexis on Apple Music, Kendrick Lamar spoke about what inspired him to pivot from the intimate approach he took on Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers to the hyper-localized,

In 2022, Lamar was a supporting performer during the Super Bowl 56 halftime show. The “legends of hip hop” lineup also featured Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent and Anderson .Paak. However, three years later, Lamar will headline the show with SZA.

A Super Bowl promo that aired a few days ago seemed to suggest Kendrick Lamar will perform his recent No. 1 hit “Not Like Us” during the halftime show. That sounds obvious on the surface, but the relevant additional context here is that the song is currently at the center of some defamation accusations.