"Textbook pandering": xQc blasts Pokimane for defending Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl performance and saying "only white people hated it"

Streamer Felix "xQc" reacted to Pokimane's take on Kendrick Lamar's performance at the Super Bowl and brought up a larger conversation on divisiveness. During a livestream on February 10, 2025, Pokimane addressed the criticism surrounding Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl LIX halftime performance, which reportedly involved symbolic elements and underlying messages.

She expressed surprise at those questioning Lamar's deservingness of the halftime spotlight, emphasizing the significance of his performance during Black History Month. Pokimane also suggested that "only white people hated it," and urged viewers to consider the deeper messages that addressed themes of racial identity, political commentary, and personal rivalries conveyed in Lamar's show.

In reaction to Imane's take, xQc claimed that she was "textbook pandering" to a moral high ground:

"You would consider this to be textbook pandering."

The streamer continued by stating that while a deeper understanding of these messages may enhance appreciation, it does not necessarily dictate enjoyment:

"You can interlace messages and symbolism in music, but if you say, you didn't like it, it's because you didn't understand... you were not meant to understand. This isn't some documentary or a puzzle."

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"Don't act like it's people's fault for missing the mark": xQc speaks on Kendrick Lamar's halftime show performance

To better explain his point, xQc presented a scenario involving an average Super Bowl fan watching the halftime show.:

"Let me put down my beer and peanuts... let me try to work on this puzzle right now, what does he mean by this? Now if I say, 'Dude, at the end of the show, I wasn't entertained, (Mockingly) 'It's because you didn't understand!'."

In this aspect, Felix claimed that people tend to criticize because they feel the performance's underlying message was misunderstood or unrecognized when, in reality, the show wasn't as entertaining. This contradicts the point made by Pokimane, who believed that the backlash towards Lamar's performance was fueled by negligence and a failure to understand the symbolism.

He further supported his stance by saying:

"Don't act like it's people's fault for missing the mark... that is a ridiculous thing to say."

Due to a viewer message in the chatbox, xQc then spoke specifically about Pokimane suggesting that certain white people disliked the performance. He expressed that using divisive language to combat divisiveness is a futile endeavor:

"Why do people use divisive language [and behaviour] to call out divisiveness? 'Oh dude, you didn't like this, that's because you're f**king white', bro, that's divisive!"

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In a recent exchange, Minecraft streamer Thomas "TommyInnit" criticized xQc for participating in a livestream with U.S. President Donald Trump, labeling the interaction "cringe."