Lamar, himself, is no stranger to the halftime show. Three years ago at the Super Bowl LVI, he performed alongside two of the greatest rappers to come from the West Coast: Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. But what feels so monumental about this moment, in particular, is that Lamar has been able to puncture the mainstream in his own way—on his own terms.

In an interview with Ebro Darden and Nadeska Alexis on Apple Music, Kendrick Lamar spoke about what inspired him to pivot from the intimate approach he took on Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers to the hyper-localized,