Former congressman turned talk show host Matt Gaetz was called out after he complained about rapper Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show—only to be reminded of his own questionable past.
In a post on X, Gaetz suggested without evidence that Lamar's performance at yesterday's big game was somehow linked to the inroads President Donald Trump made with Black men during the 2024 election cycle:
"The halftime show you just watched is clearly the regime’s response to Trump’s historic gains with black men."
You can see his post below.
Gaetz’s post was quickly flagged with a Community Note clarifying that Lamar’s booking for the event couldn’t have been a reaction to Trump’s election victory, as it was announced nearly two months before the vote took place.
But people noted that Gaetz's complaints about the Super Bowl halftime performer are ironic given the subject matter of Lamar's hit song "Not Like Us," a diss track aimed at fellow rapper Drake.
Drake has alleged that Lamar's longtime label intentionally permitted Lamar to make “inflammatory and shocking allegations,” branding Drake a “certified pedophile,” despite being aware of the potential damage to his reputation and personal safety.
The lyrics contain lines such as “Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young” and “tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor.”
And that just hits different given Gaetz's own legal troubles.
Gaetz was previously the subject of a Justice Department investigation into alleged sex trafficking involving a 17-year-old girl and has faced scrutiny from the House Ethics Committee over accusations of sexual misconduct.
An official committee report determined that he routinely paid women for "engaging in sexual activity," had sexual relations with a 17-year-old girl, used or possessed illegal drugs, accepted gifts exceeding House limits, and assisted a woman in obtaining a passport.
Gaetz resigned in November, just days before the report was set to be released and after Trump nominated him for U.S. Attorney General. A week later, Gaetz withdrew from consideration for the post. He has denied the committee's findings, claiming the investigation was biased and conducted unfairly.
Many mocked Gaetz as a result.
Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show came just days after "Not Like Us" became the most-decorated song in Grammy Awards history, with five wins, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
"Not Like Us" was first made available as a YouTube exclusive before Interscope Records distributed it to music streaming platforms a few hours later. The single’s cover art features a bird’s-eye view of Drake’s Toronto mansion, taken from a Google Maps screenshot, with 13 red markers on its roof, representing the locations of registered sex offenders.
