Gary Miller; Emily Curiel/The Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service; Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images

Rocker Kid Rock’s claim about rapper Kendrick Lamar and Colin Kaepernick — the NFL’s original anthem protester — following the Super Bowl LIX halftime show set off wild reactions from fans.

“This was the epitome of DEI,” Kid Rock said during Friday’s episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, adding, “The epitome of DEI blowing up, because the NFL was all on this DEI, ‘End Racism,’ and all this stuff.”

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“And Kendrick Lamar goes out there and basically turns DEI into an IED,” the “American Bad Ass” singer continued. “It’s all black people, or all people of color, speaking to his crowd in the hood, black people.”

“It was like the most exclusive thing ever, and I’m like, ‘Fuck yeah, that’s awesome.’ I’m laughing my ass off,” Kid Rock told Bill Maher.

The “Born Free” singer went on to say that while Lamar’s halftime performance was not his “cup of tea,” he nonetheless emphasized with the rapper, adding, “Everyone’s like that sucks, this, that, and the other.”

“I’m like, this kid pretty much came out figuratively with both middle fingers in the air, doing what he does for the people who love what he does — unapologetically,” Kid Rock said of Lamar.

“And I don’t think he gives a frog’s fat ass what anyone thinks about it,” the “Redneck Paradise” singer added. “It’s pretty much how I built my whole career. I gotta respect it.”

Kid Rock also shared his theory about Kaepernick, stating, “I think Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar should both send Colin Kaepernick a Bundt cake and a six-pack of beer and a ‘thank you’ note with a bunch of money in it.”

“Because without him kneeling and getting everyone’s panties in a bunch over the anthem, [my]self-included, I don’t think that happens,” the rocker added.

Kid Rock’s Friday remarks on Real Time with Bill Maher sparked a mix of reactions from fans.

“He ain’t lying!!!!” one X user exclaimed.

“He’s right,” another echoed.

“The most condescending shit I’ve ever seen in my life,” a third countered.

“Ain’t no way he’s saying Colin walked so Kendrick could run…” another X user lamented.
“His explanation of what he witnessed clearly proves he doesn’t understand the culture,” another argued.

Another X user said Kid Rock’s comment that Lamar is “speaking to the hood” reminds “me of when they called [rapper] Common a gangster rapper.”

“He spoke about the way this country operates and how it affects all black people,” the X user added. “Dismissing it calling it ghetto hood shit is an attempt at diminishing the message.”

“Fuvk both these white boys,” another said of Kid Rock and Maher.

“Kid Rock started his career rapping,” another X user pointed out.

“He needs to stay out of black people business,” another advised.

“Hell, if Serena [Williams] can crip walk to ‘Not Like Us’ while having a white husband then Kid Rock can speak on Kendrick while having a black baby momma and half black son,” another suggested.

Lamar’s Super Bowl appearance — which featured singer SZA, actor Samuel L. Jackson, and tennis star Serena Williams, as well as a rendition of his hit diss track, “Not Like Us,” about fellow rapper Drake — was slammed by confused viewers who dubbed the performance the “worst halftime show ever.”

Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.