People Praise Kendrick Lamar for Not Rapping Over a Backing Track
Kendrick Lamar‘s 2025 Super Bowl halftime show performance is getting mixed reviews and many of the people praising the rapper’s Big Game set are giving him props for not using a backing track.
Kendrick Lamar Praised for Actually Performing Live
It was all eyes on K-Dot for his big concert at the football game on Sunday night (Feb. 9). The Compton, Calif. rapper came through with a high-energy symbolic set full of Easter eggs that left many rap fans captivated. Many of those viewers gave Dot extra kudos on social media for actually performing live.
“‘The revolution ‘bout to be televised, you picked the right time but the WRONG guy!’ — Kendrick Lamar because WHO ELSE!? No other rapper performs on THAT level. Story-telling, no backing track, energy + charisma!” one person wrote on X.
“This was dope, especially towards the end. Kendrick no back track Lamar,” someone else tweeted.
Even Jermaine Dupri heaped praise on Dot for doing an actual live set.
“Dope performance, no back track, breath control, choreography, skits, straight rap s**t,” JD tweeted.
Jermaine Dupri weighs in on Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance.
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Read More: Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show Setlist
So What Is a Backing Track?
When most artists perform “live,” especially at events as big as the Super Bowl, they are typically rapping or singing, while the actual audio of the song (or backing track) plays in the background. This allows the performer to have backup and a listener not miss any words as the performer moves about the stage and may get winded at points. Though Kendrick’s SB set involved a lot of movement, he never missed a beat, despite not having backup vocals.
When the performer is totally using the backing track, this is also known as lip-syncing. One of the most famous and extreme cases of lip-synching involved 1980s pop group Milli Vanilli. The duo, who gained fame with the tracks “Girl You Know It’s True,” “Baby Don’t Forget My Number” and “Blame It on the Rain,” was outed for not performing any of their songs, even studio cuts. They were exposed on MTV in 1989 when their backing track malfunctioned during what was supposed to be a live set.
While the practice of using a backing track is more acceptable during huge live performances, only a select few artists choose to go raw like Kendrick did.
Read More: The Funniest Fan Reactions to Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show
Check out Kendrick Lamar’s performance at the 2025 Super Bowl below.
Watch Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show
Click “Watch on YouTube” to watch the official video of the performance on the NFL’s YouTube channel.