DJ Mustard performs surprise halftime show at high school rivalry game

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misspelled Millikan High School.

Fans screamed while the bass boomed during DJ Mustard’s surprise halftime show at the Poly vs. Millikan rivalry football game after a 20-minute delay at LBCC’s Veterans Memorial Stadium on Friday.

Right as halftime began, students gathered around Mustard’s stage, ecstatically waiting for his performance, but went through a range of emotions when they realized that Mustard did not come out immediately. 

An ambulance and firetruck arrived on field to help Poly’s injured kicker, but fans at the stage were so hyperfocused on Mustard’s arrival that they did not notice. 

As fans waited blindly, they went from excited to confused, disappointed, and hopeful when they heard the announcer on the speakers say, “Let’s give it up for him.”

Students cheered, but the statement wasn’t introducing Mustard’s arrival, it was meant as a word of encouragement for the player who after 15 minutes with paramedics got sent away to the hospital.

During Mustard’s performance, the bass was so loud that one could feel it in their chest. He performed older songs like “Rack City” and “I Don’t F— With You,” as well as newer songs like “tv off” and “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar. 

^{DJ Mustard performing at the Poly vs. Millikan high schools football game on Friday at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Long Beach, California. (Paloma Maciel)}

^{DJ Mustard performing at the Poly vs. Millikan high schools football game on Friday at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Long Beach, California. (Paloma Maciel)}

^{DJ Mustard performing at the Poly vs. Millikan high schools football game on Friday at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Long Beach, California. (Paloma Maciel)}

The crowd joined Mustard in shouting “It’s probably A minor” during “Not Like Us,” a nod to Kendrick’s 2024 beef with Drake, which Mustard was also involved with.

Maliyah Bunn, a student from Woodrow Wilson High School who was at the game shared her thoughts on Mustard’s performance. 

“I thought it was very fun, I liked the songs he chose, his song choice, because I feel like everybody knows them and they’re really popular songs. But since I’m a Drake fan, I have to say the Kendrick Lamar song, like I don’t know, not really good. But overall it was good, I like that he came out and supported the football game,” Bunn said. 

Alaina Castillo, a cheerleader from Poly, also enjoyed the performance beyond the music. 

“I thought the performance was really fun and energetic and I liked how it brought both Poly and Millikan students together, and there was just that sense of community,” said Alaina Castillo. 

Amira Inui, a student from Long Beach Poly High School, recalled the moment when students found out that Mustard was going to be performing at their game.  

“My school’s leader counselor person was on the rally stage today, and he was like we have a special guest and it’s DJ Mustard, everybody went crazy and cheered”, said Inui. “I’m really excited that he came for our school, like that’s crazy, it’s like thank you so much because he’s probably busy.”

At the end of his performance, Mustard hurried onto the golf cart that he arrived in, while photographers and fans chased him. 

^{DJ Mustard leaves on a golf cart as a kid chases him, after having performed at the Poly vs. Millikan high schools football game in Long Beach, California at the Veterans Memorial Stadium. (Paloma Maciel)}