Rapper Kendrick Lamar "kept things apolitical" during his four-song set at Centennial Park during halftime of the CFP title game, according to Daniel Kreps of ROLLING STONE. Unlike the "bombastic Super Bowl halftime shows," Lamar "kept things simple." But he still "captivated the crowd as he performed alone onstage without special guests, over-the-top theatrics or extravagant light show" (ROLLINGSTONE.com, 1/8). THE RINGER's Micah Peters notes Lamar's performance "was clean, unfussy, and sort of apolitical, save for the stuff you have to glean from the lyrics, or infer, given the platform and the Moment In Time" (THERINGER.com, 1/9). In Atlanta, Melissa Ruggieri notes Lamar's performance was a "notable draw," as a "few minutes before kickoff, music and football devotees filled about half" of Centennial Park. Most of the fans "crowded toward the massive video screen broadcasting the game, with many others hanging back, clearly not interested" in the game. Lamar's performance "aired live on ESPN, but not inside" Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where the bands from both Alabama and Georgia "received the spotlight" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 1/9).
