Kendrick Lamar's Halftime Look Has People Comparing Him To Michael Jackson
Super Bowl LVI took place on February 13 and saw two incredible teams face off for the Lombardi Trophy: the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Rams had a type of home-field advantage, as the big game was held in Los Angeles for the first time since 1993. In that game, the Dallas Cowboys routed the Buffalo Bills, according to ESPN, and featured an incredible halftime show performed by none other than Michael Jackson. It would make sense, then, that the halftime show for Super Bowl LVI would also feature iconic musicians, though this time there was a group of them.
The halftime show for 2022 saw Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem join forces to put on a quite enjoyable experience that focused on hip hop and rap for the first time in the Super Bowl's history. With a surprise appearance by 50 Cent, these incredible artists took viewers and fans through a catalogue of their various rap and hip hop hits from the '90s (and delving into the early '00s). While Lamar may not have quite fit into this category, he nevertheless brought the hits, singing "Alright" in a section of the show that was sure to capture the attention of viewers.
Aside from Lamar's obvious talent, it was his homage to the late Michael Jackson that had people talking the most.
Lamar's choreography and wardrobe reminded fans of Jackson
In what perhaps was an obvious homage to Michael Jackson (who was the last person to perform a Super Bowl halftime show in Los Angeles prior to 2022, ESPN reported), Kendrick Lamar channeled the King of Pop during his part of Super Bowl LVI's halftime show. The rapper not only used choreography to enhance his performance — similar to what Jackson would do — he also dressed in a way that reminded fans of the "Thriller" singer's own halftime performance. Along with the white glove on his hand, Lamar and his dancers wore an outfit in black and gold that was reminiscent of a military uniform, just like Jackson.
Fans of both Jackson and Lamar took to Twitter to express their love of the rapper's potential nod. "Kendrick's one glove and military dancers," one person wrote. "Kendrick Lamar with the Michael Jackson swag!" a second fan enthused, along with a strong arm and clapping emoji. "Kendrick paying tribute to Michael Jackson," a third user tweeted, confirming what others thought about the segment.
While Lamar himself has not confirmed he was paying his respects to the late King of Pop, the comparisons were undoubtedly there and pleased Jackson's fans, regardless of Lamar's intentions.