"Stop this rap crap" — Robert Davi calls Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl performance "ghetto" and blasts Samuel L. Jackson for "monkeying around"

Veteran actor Robert Davi has sparked controversy with his recent comments on Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Halftime show, labelling the performance as "ghetto" and calling for an end to what he termed "rap crap."

On February 10, 2025, American actor Robert John Davi took to his X account and shared a video message. In the video, Davi indicated that he was about to deliver a critique regarding the Super Bowl LIX halftime show, which took place on February 9, 2025.

The Die Hard actor shared his opinion on the performance in the two-minute clip, stating that the rap segment was subpar. He also referred to Kendrick Lamar's performance using a "ghetto" term and criticized Samuel L. Jackson, who made a guest appearance during Lamar's performance, as "monkeying around".

"And Sam Jackson monkeying around, I mean that's just, just I am sorry it just repulsed me. It absolutely repulsed me; what was the point? What's the point?... Let's train them in instruments like Jazz, and stop this rap crap, that everybody thinks is the new Shakespeare, it's not, it's garbage," Davi said.

Robert Davi's tweet followed Kendrick Lamar's performance, which headlined the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show on February 9, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

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Robert Davi weighs in on Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl performance and Samuel L. Jackson's appearance:

On Monday, February 10, 2025, New York-born actor Robert Davi took to his X account and posted a tweet sharing his thoughts on the Super Bowl LIX halftime show.

In the accompanying video message, Davi described his commentary as a "quick rant" on what he called the "halftime nonsense." He criticized the performance, stating that he was "done" with what he referred to as "ghetto" entertainment and specifically mentioned Kendrick Lamar and Samuel L. Jackson's appearances —

"Dear fellow Americans, just my quick little rant on the halftime nonsense. I mean, come on, stop with the ghetto crap; I am done with the ghetto. I have had it up to here with the ghetto. I know they want to say that rap is this and rap is that," Davi said.

The veteran actor compared rap and Jazz, arguing that Jazz is a "gorgeous" art form. He suggested that if artists seek to pursue meaningful artistic expression, they should turn to Jazz rather than rap, which he dismissed as "garbage."

Robert Davi also referenced jazz legends such as Count Basie and Duke Ellington, and emphasized that the level of music he preferred to hear was different

"Look at Jazz, the jump black and blues artists, give me Count Basie band, give me Duke Ellington's, give me history, give me Jazz. You wanna to go black? Go art... Enough with garbage, enough with bringing up these kids down into garbage. Like that, that's the cool thing, dude, this and that, no," Davi added.

Lastly, Davi criticized the NFL for selecting rap artists for the halftime show, arguing that there were many other musicians the league could have chosen instead. He questioned the message being conveyed through the performance —

"You have such great musicians, great Black Jazz musicians, and other musicians that could have been used instead of this crap; what are they trying to do? What's the message in the collar greens tell me," Davi said.

As of now, neither Kendrick Lamar nor Samuel L. Jackson has responded to Robert Davi's remarks, and neither has the NFL issued a statement.