SZA hit with Super Bowl lip-syncing claims after brutal swipe at ex
Singer SZA joined Kendrick Lamar on stage for his Super Bowl half-time performance - but was accused by fans on X of lip-syncing lyrics targeting her ex
Singer SZA joined Kendrick Lamar on stage for his Super Bowl half-time performance - but was accused by fans on X of lip-syncing lyrics targeting her exSZA performed on stage for the 2025 Super Bowl halftime with her ex-Drake's arch nemesis Kendrick Lamar (
Image: Getty Images)
Super Bowl viewers have accused singer SZA of lip-syncing during her performance at the Super Bowl on Sunday.
SZA, born as SolĂĄna Imani Rowe, joined Kendrick for the infamous halftime show to sing their 'collab'-hits Luther and All The Stars. However, viewers branded the 35 year old singer "so obvious" with her lip-syncing on X (Twitter) - one saying: "yes SZA lip sync for your life."
Another shared their thoughts on the mix, saying the set was "TERRIBLE" and claimed that the artists have gone back and "fixed" it on Apple Music. The fan, who referred to Kendrick's former stage name, K. Dot, said that rapper "was mumbling & the mic level was way too low", adding that "SZA was all lip sync". Others wrote: "SZA lip sync was soo obvious, n Iâm naĂŻve but, c'mon now"; questioned "why did SZA lip sync that super bowl performance?", followed by a 'I'm dead' emoji; another said "SZA didnât even lip sync right lemme show her"; "SZA lil lip sync for your life ATE"; along with fans commenting "SZA my lip sync queen d[on't] w[orry] I still love u twin".
Having faced issues technical and sound issues during past performances, fans accused SZA of lip syncing at the Super Bowl halftime - including to infamous lyrics attacking ex, Drake (
Image:
Getty Images)
Dating the multi-millionaire rapper Drake in 2009, and again in 2023, SZA decided against supporting her ex- boyfriend by performing with the rapper's arch-nemesis, amidst the current legal battle between him and Lamar's production company, Universal Music Group, for defamation. Kendrick and Drake have been in the most culturally current celeb feud, creating hit after hit dis-tracks as is the rap tradition. Kendrick even releasing a free sample of 'BBL drizzy" for any creator to add their own creative spin on the beat which claims Drake had 'Brazilian butt lift' cosmetic surgery.
The now Grammy winner performed the latest dis-track stood on top of a car, publicly attacking his rival on one of the most filmed and watched stage. Notably, Kendrick opted out of using the actual word 'paedophile' in an attempt to avoid legal fees, saying to the fans that he wished to play their favourite song "but, you know they love to sue".
SZA ended her initial relationship with Drake on the basis that it was not "hot and heavy", suggesting their was no passion between the two. The Drew Barrymore singer told Audacy that her and Drake have "always been cool" and that "It's never been weird" between the two. In 2023, she kept their reunion casual, according to Complex.
SZA wore a monochromatic outfit, similar to previous Super Bowl performer Rihanna's all red look (
Image:
Penske Media via Getty Images)
Prior to his feud with Kendrick and their dating for the second time in 2023, Drake mentioned SZA in his song Mr. Right Now, featuring 21 Savage. SZA has addressed this, saying that any mentions have "always been positive". "He's never said anything negative about me. I'm grateful for that. I think highly of him... He's King Drake".
Recently, Sza appeared on a Hot Ones 'Versus' episode where her One Of Them Days castmate, Keke Palmer, and producer Issa Rae, entered a round of 'dealer's choice' questions that demanded the truth or forfeit by eating a death wing. To everyone's disbelief, actor Keke Palmer blurted out whether Drake was "a good kisser?" to which SZA immediately responded by saying: "That's why I said "Fuck you in advance." I knew you were going to do something that was so..." [making an expression mimicking Palmer]. Like a true friend, Palmer embarrassed the singer further by saying "She's not going to answer" and suggesting "he must have been terrible".
Sza, Keke Palmer and producer Issa Rae interview with Hot Ones, Versus edition for their upcoming film One Of Them Days
Diplomatically, SZA ate the 'death' wing and defended her ex by saying they were "children" when they kissed. Not denying Keke's claim, SZA said: "2009 we were children. Real shit". Along with the accusation of obvious lip-syncing to slanderous lyrics on the Super Bowl stage, fans may wonder whether the good relationship between the exes remains.