Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl performer arrested after a protest at the halftime show. Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, 41, from New Orleans, disrupted the historic event in February. Nantambu was a performer for the show. He went off script, revealing a flag from Sudan with the words “Free Gaza” on it.
Nantambu then ran across the field with the flag. Security quickly took him into custody. He had permission to be on the field, but not to demonstrate. After an investigation, police issued an arrest warrant. Nantambu turned himself in on June 26, 2025. He now faces charges of resisting an officer and disturbing the peace.
Nantambu has not yet commented on his arrest. Kendrick Lamar himself has never spoken about the incident. The NFL released a statement. It said, “We take any attempt to disrupt any part of an NFL game, including the halftime show, very seriously.” The league is “pleased this individual will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” The NFL also banned Nantambu from all future NFL games or events.
Kendrick’s Super Bowl performance made history. It was the most watched halftime show ever. New statistics show the Apple Music-sponsored show drew 133.5 million viewers. This was three percent more than Usher’s show last year. Michael Jackson previously held this record with 133 million viewers in 1993.
FOX Sports also confirmed the game itself was a record-breaker. It was the most watched Super Bowl ever, with 126 million viewers on average. Viewership peaked at 135.7 million during the second quarter.
The show also gained attention for Kendrick’s jabs at Drake. During “Not Like Us,” Kendrick intentionally skipped over the “certified pedophile” line. However, he smirked at the camera while rapping: “Say Drake, I hear you like ’em young / You better not ever go to cell block one / To any [bitch] that talk to him and they in love / Just make sure you hide your lil’ sister from him.” This protest and the on-field diss added to the memorable event. The fact that a Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl performer arrested now highlights a lasting impact.
You can view details on the arrest from The Grio. For more about the show’s viewership, visit Front Office Sports.
For more on Kendrick Lamar’s recent achievements, read our article on Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Luther’ Breaks One Billion Streams In Record Time.
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