Kendrick Lamar's latest album, GNX, continues to be a year's favorite as it returns to the top of the charts. According to early projections from Hits Daily Double, his latest album GNX is expected to move another 230,000 units this week, securing the No. 1 position on the Billboard 200. The surge in sales was fueled by the release of physical copies just days before the Super Bowl on February 7. With total sales now surpassing one million, another platinum certification is imminent. Lamar's return oversteps SZA's SOS and The Weeknd's Hurry Up Tomorrow.
His back catalog is also experiencing a resurgence. Good Kid, M.A.A.D City is projected to climb to No. 11 with 34,000 units sold, while DAMN. is expected to land at No. 12 with nearly the same numbers. Lamar's halftime performance has now officially become the most-watched in Super Bowl history, drawing 133.5 million viewers. This breaks the previous record set by Michael Jackson in 1993, which stood at 133 million. The Super Bowl itself also shattered records. FOX Sports confirmed that the game, which saw the Philadelphia Eagles defeat the Kansas City Chiefs, averaged 126 million viewers, peaking at 135.7 million during the second quarter.
Kendrick Lamar's GNX Milestones
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, pgLang co-founder Dave Free offered insight into the creative vision behind Lamar’s performance. Featuring guest appearances from SZA, Mustard, Samuel L. Jackson, and Serena Williams, the show was designed to be as theatrical as it was cinematic. “There’s never been a Super Bowl performance quite like this,” Free said.
To prepare, Free and Lamar studied every past halftime show, drawing inspiration from icons like Beyoncé, Prince, and Michael Jackson. However, the core of their performance centered on a deeper message. “The feel of it is Black America—what it looks like and how we control that narrative,” Free explained. The setlist largely avoided Lamar’s biggest hits, instead spotlighting songs from GNX and tracks aimed at Drake. According to Free, the performance’s origins trace back to a call from JAY-Z, who has curated the halftime show since 2020. Given Lamar’s appearance in Dr. Dre’s all-star set just three years ago, it was uncertain whether he’d receive another opportunity. Ultimately, the timing felt right.
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