Kendrick Lamar‘s Super Bowl Halftime Show has received over 100 official complaints filed to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
- READ MORE: Ranking the 10 best Super Bowl halftime shows in history
According to The Hill, 125 official complaints were filed to the FCC by viewers following the conclusion of Lamar’s Super Bowl performance in February. According to a report obtained by The Hill, a majority of the 125 complaints took issue with Kendrick’s lyrics and “provocative dancing”.
During the performance, Kendrick performed several cuts off his latest album ‘GNX’ and his acclaimed discography, most notably performing the Drake diss ‘Not Like Us’, albeit playing a censored version.
One complaint saw a viewer from Lenox saying their children should not have been subjected to seeing and hearing “the language and gestures”, while another suggested that future Super Bowl halftime performances “consider hiring musical entertainment that is family friendly and not socially or politically centered… it would be a nice change to have entertainment that truly shows what America should be: family, country, decency and respect.”
That same viewer added: “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 viewer complained that the halftime show was “the worst” they’ve seen: “I’m glad that I couldn’t understand most of what Kendrick Lamar was saying because I read the lyrics to a few of his songs, and I am appalled. It was divisive, downgrading, and filled with profanity. It is absolutely not appropriate entertainment for all ages.”
Rolling Stone adds that one complaint takes aim at Serena Williams, who made a brief appearance, claiming her “crip-walking” was promoting “gang affiliation”.
Kendrick Lamar’s performance has also drawn complaints for “racism”. One person wrote: “All these people complain about racism and if the Super Bowl halftime show isn’t racist then I don’t know what is. 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. The halftime show should have both Black and white and be appropriate for everyone. This was a disgrace and it gets worse every year.”
Another echoed the sentiment: “I want to know why is it that there was not one white person involved???? I felt discriminated against and why was Uncle Sam Black when Uncle Sam is white? I felt very discriminated. It made me feel very uncomfortable.”
Shortly after Kendrick Lamar’s performance, it was announced that his Halftime Show has been named the most-watched Super Bowl performance in history. The Compton rapper made history by becoming the first solo rapper to headline the coveted Halftime Show.
In a five-star review of Kendrick Lamar’s ‘GNX’, Kyann-Sian Williams wrote for NME: “‘GNX’ starts off with such an ominous tone that doesn’t necessarily leave. But Lamar channels what could be interpreted as hate and negativity into a teachable moment, leading you to draw upon the purest emotion known to man: love. In a year that started with so much venom, Kendrick Lamar shares the antidote on ‘GNX’.”
