While appearing on a new episode of HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” Kid Rock shared his thoughts on Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show. Among his many opinions about the rapper’s performance, Rock explained that he thinks former football quarterback Colin Kaepernick should get credit for helping Lamar get the gig.
“I’ve heard nobody answer this question: how did he get that gig? Jay-Z. What happened there? I think Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar should both send Colin Kaepernick a Bundt cake and a six-pack of beer and a ‘thank you’ note with a bunch of money in it, because without him kneeling and getting everyone’s panties in a bunch over the anthem, self-included, I don’t think that happens,” he said.
Before host Bill Maher could respond, Kid Rock continued, speaking about the NFL’s diversity efforts and adding that he believes Lamar’s performance was “the epitome of DEI blowing up.”
“The NFL was all this DEI, end racism, all this stuff. They got Jay-Z in there booking this. Kendrick Lamar goes out there and basically turns DEI into an IED,” Rock said.
“It’s like all Black people or all people of color speaking to his crowd in the hood, Black people. It was like the most exclusive thing ever and I’m like, ‘F*ck yeah, that’s awesome.’ I’m laughing my ass off,” he added, leaving Maher momentarily stunned.
As far as his overall thoughts on the show, Rock said while he didn’t necessarily like it, he can respect it.
“To put it nicely, it wasn’t my cup of tea, but I got to respect it,” he said. “And here’s why: I grew up loving, emulating all things hip-hop, break dancing, deejaying, graffiti, rapping, and so I understand the culture a little bit more than most. And when I say most, of course, I mean white people.”
He continued, acknowledging the many mixed reactions the show garnered:
“So when you’re watching it, after, there’s a lot of things going through your head. You know, everyone’s like, ‘That sucked,’ this, that and the other. I’m like, man, this kid pretty much came out figuratively with both middle fingers in the air, doing what he does for the people who love what he does, unapologetically. And I don’t think he gives a frog’s fat a** what anyone thinks about it. So I go, huh, it’s pretty much how I built my whole career. I gotta respect it.”
