'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/9oADAMBAAIQAxAAAACOT0P/xAAhEAACAAYBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgADBAUGIgcSM0Fxgv/aAAgBAQABPwDGsdpKrju5XSbOqdSweQrgKzjtv87e+rxAAIj/xAAUEQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/9oACAECAQE/AH//xAAUEQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA/9oACAEDAQE/AH//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
As the excitement around Kendrick Lamar's announcement from earlier this week, confirming him as the official headliner for the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show continues to generate buzz online, the rapper has silently dropped a new single loosely titled Watch the Party Die.
Kendrick took to Instagram today (Sept. 12) to soft-release a new record, similar to how the Compton native exclusively released diss tracks like 6:16 in LA and Meet The Grahams, back in May.
The new record also marks K-Dot's first official music drop since his highly acclaimed and commercially successful fifth diss track Not Like Us, which has generated over 740 million streams on Spotify since it was released on May 04, 2024.
Trending
News media outlets across social media platforms have reposted Watch the Party Die on their timelines, contributing to the high amounts of online engagement the track is currently receiving. As of today, "Kendrick Lamar" is trending on X (formerly Twitter) after over 30,000 tweets were posted about the new single.
K-Dot fans and the hip-hop community have taken to X to share their thoughts and opinions on Watch the Party Die, with many highlighting that this record could act as the lead single for the rapper's highly anticipated sixth studio album, which is yet to be revealed.
Dot's Watch the Party Die received mixed reactions online for its production, Lamar's cadence, Watch the Party Die's lyricism and more. Fans however were seen praising bars that appeared to highlight moments from the "Kendrick vs Drake" beef.
"Kendrick 'Just walked that man down, that'll do everyone a solid // It's love but tough love, sometimes gotta result in violence'" - A fan seemingly hints at the line being directed at Drake.
"Not kendrick putting the black forces as the cover nah he ready for war" - A fan states referencing the single's cover art.
"Sometimes I feel like God be rapping through this n---a. The goat is f--king back" - An excited fan states.
"Ima give this one a 7/10 After Not like us I was hoping for another song with replay value." - A netizen compares 'Watch the Party Die' to 'Not Like Us'.
"Cute. Might be worth a few spins. Good beat, but not a replayable song. I was worried Kendrick was gonna drop some heat, but nah Drake’s new drops clear." - A Drake fan claimed.
Several users seemingly expressed a dislike for the production used on the low-tempo track, which primarily finds Kendrick Lamar speaking on themes of violence, success, legacy, with an added frustration with the "current state of the music industry".
"Half way in and fast forwarded to see if there would be a beat or tempo switch lmao like wow this n---a rapped on this lazy a-- beat for 5 mins" - A netizen stated.
"Am i f--king listening to a podcast or a song i can’t tell what a snoozefest" - A critic jokingly states.
"I listened and wish I can get that 5 minutes of my life back. I will never listen to that song again, I promise sis" - A critic stated.
Celebrities like DJ Akademiks and OVO affiliate Baka Not Nice were seen expressing reactions of surprise and dismissal by commenting on Kendrick Lamar's Instagram post.
"No no noooo" - DJ Akademik's comment on Kendrick Lamar's Instagram post.
How Kendrick Lamar got picked as the headliner for Super Bowl LIX? Jay-Z, Roc Nation, and The NFL's decision explored
Kendrick Lamar was announced as the official headliner for the New Orleans 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show on September 09, 2024, via a promotional video uploaded to the rapper's social media handles.
The video places Lamar at a football practice session where he proceeds to address the camera, confirming that he would be performing at next year's Super Bowl halftime show.
"What the deal everybody? My name Kendrick Lamar and I'll be performing at Super Bowl 59. Will you be pullin' up? I hope so... You know there's only one opportunity to win the championship. No round 2's." - Kendrick Lamar stated in his announcement video.
The announcement was met with significant criticism with artists like Nicki Minaj and Fabian Marasciullo taking to social media to express their unhappiness with Kendrick Lamar being picked over Lil Wayne.
Their statements highlight Wayne's legacy and impact on hip-hop, citing how the rapper should've been the first pick to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show given that New Orleans is his hometown.
As per a January 2024 article by SportsCasting, there exists a structured process regarding how and why an artist gets selected to perform at the Super Bowl. Initially, factors like genre, music aesthetic, performance value, and more, play a pivotal role in helping narrow down the list of selected performers.
The NFL and Roc Nation seemingly work together in selecting acts that could potentially have a massive audience appeal, given that on average over 100 million people watch the Super Bowl.
The feature also confirms that neither The NFL nor Roc Nation has the final say on which artist or group of artists are selected for the Super Bowl halftime show, and that the ultimate call lies instead with the host city.
Post the selection of an artist, The League works with Super Bowl sponsors to confirm whether the selected act can perform at the halftime show. This step usually results in the selection and/or modification of the setlist and songs to be performed.
While Jay-Z and Roc Nation might not have had the final say, besides initial inputs into who could perform at the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show, the Blueprint rapper does appear pleased with Kendrick Lamar's selection as the official headliner.
In a public statement following Kendrick's announcement, Jay issued a public statement where he praised the Compton native for being "a once-in-a-generation artist and performer". The Roc Nation founder went on to state that Lamar's impact on hip-hop and culture will be felt for "years to come".
