He was among an impressive roll call of stars to join a billionaire music mogul on stage at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, C.A.. Kendrick's dramatic Super Bowl show last Sunday was not his first.

Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, and Snoop Dogg, from left, perform during the halftime show during the NFL Super Bowl 56 football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals on Feb. 13, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger, File)

In its framing, narrative approach, and density, Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl was unlike any that have come before it.