Zül-Qarnain Nantambu, the man who disrupted Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, is speaking out about his viral protest.
The man who disrupted Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show is speaking out after his pro-Sudan and pro-Palestine protest went viral. Zül-Qarnain Nantambu dramatically unfurled a banner representing Palestine and Sudan, with “Gaza” and “Sudan” written on them. Nantambu initially stood atop a black Grand National car used as a prop in the show. He then jumped off the stage and ran around the field for about 20 seconds. Security personnel eventually tackled and apprehended the protester.
While Nantambu was an official “participant” and spent weeks rehearsing the performance with the rest of the cast, he confirmed Lamar and Super Bowl producers were unaware of his protest plans.
Additionally, Nantambu stated that his Super Bowl protest was a show of solidarity with Muslims in the war-torn regions and was not intended as a political act. The NFL confirmed Nantambu was one of Kendrick Lamar’s Halftime Show performers. The league has banned the protester for life from all NFL stadiums and events. NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy told the outlet Nantambu hid the banner before unveiling it during the performance. Although Nantambu avoided arrest on Sunday, the New Orleans Police Department is reportedly investigating the incident to determine possible charges.