Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance stands as the most-watched one on record, garnering over 133 million viewers. Beyond sensational moments such as his downright devious digs at Drake or the Celine pants that finally convinced everyone of the potential of flare jeans, Lamar introduced the audience to a different type of game—and I’m not talking about a sport. Lamar’s performance was not just an arrangement of some of his top hits and viral moments, it was an act of protest—with the President himself watching the entire “Great American Game” go down.
This protest came at a crucial time. A month into the new President’s administration, there has been an undeniable shift in American politics. Many activists and previously politically-minded individuals have lost steam, losing hope among news cycles filled with a record-breaking amount of executive orders and controversial Senate confirmation meetings. Entertainment such as the Super Bowl and its equally as anticipated halftime show act as a pillar of normalcy. With his politically-charged performance, though, Kendrick Lamar reminded his audience that such a normalcy can no longer exist.
As the show began, the Caesars Superdome went dark with only the lights of game board pieces and a game controller-shaped stage visible from the field. To begin the performance, Samuel L. Jackson, dressed as Uncle Sam, greeted the audience and welcomed them to the “Great American Game.” A spotlight illuminated Lamar standing on a Buick GNX car as his cast of all-Black dancers dressed in red, white, and blue crawled out of it. Less than a minute into the first song, Lamar interrupted himself with strong instrumentals, telling the audience:
“The revolution ‘bout to be televised. You picked the right time but the wrong guy.”
With this statement, Lamar set the tone for the rest of the show and made clear his intention: to be everything America and the President don’t want to see on the Super Bowl stage. Uncle Sam then made another appearance, condemning the performance for being “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto.” He questioned Lamar’s ability to “play the game,” and left the stage.
This was the second of many references to “the game” in this performance: the often impossible balancing act of surviving and succeeding as a minority in the United States. One has to be constantly aware of the rules that apply to people of color in the unjust, rigged game of America, whether you are a world-famous rapper or an average citizen. Resuming the music after Uncle Sam’s criticism, the song choice and visuals of Lamar’s performance also functioned as his first act of “revolution.”
While the rapper began his hit song, “HUMBLE,” the backup dancers arranged themselves across the steps according to the color of their clothing, forming an American flag. Many viewers took this as a symbolic act, with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) posting the visual on their official Instagram, stating, “it’s all in the details.” Especially with a particular anti-DEI leader in the crowd, Lamar reminded his audience exactly who built this country, and said to those in power who ignore people of color’s contributions while denying them advancement, “be humble.”
Ten minutes into the show and following Lamar’s performance with his guest, SZA, Uncle Sam reappeared, this time pleased with the rapper. He told the camera with a bright smile, “that’s what I’m talking about. That’s what America wants. Nice and calm.”
In Uncle Sam’s words, rap is often judged as “too reckless, too loud, too ghetto.” Many of the songs Lamar has performed in the show prior to SZA’s appearance are seen as falling within this stereotype. However, Lamar’s two collaborations with SZA fall more within the R&B genre. This genre of music is often more widely accepted than rap due to its focus on melodic vocals and common themes of love and emotion. While rap music, stereotypically, is perceived as more threatening and aggressive. In choices as seemingly insignificant as the exact song selection, Lamar not only created commentary for his audience but was aware of the preconceived notions about his music and the genre in which he creates that many in the audience may have.
Lamar then shifts the tone of his performance again. After Uncle Sam’s exit, he rapped into the microphone, “It’s a cultural divide. Imma get it on the floor. 40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music.” Similar to the American flag visual, Lamar emphasized the systematic injustice African Americans have experienced since Reconstruction. The phrase, “40 acres and a mule” refers to Special Field Order, No. 15, issued in 1865, a promise of land and resources made to formerly enslaved Black people after the Civil War. This promise was never fulfilled.
Although alluding to this specific order, this phrase represents the greater injustice of America and its purposeful act of keeping Black people at an economic and social disadvantage in spite of their labor and contributions. Following this reference with the line, “this is bigger than the music,” clarified Lamar’s intention: his performance represented much more than solely his own discography or history.
The performance closes with Lamar rapping “turn this TV off,” pointing a hand-gun gesture to the camera, smiling, and walking off stage. As the stage dimmed, “game over” sound effects played and the words “GAME OVER” illuminated across the audience to end the show. This conclusion enhanced his message and presence, not simply ending the performance but demanding it. Lamar inverted the reality of the “Great American Game” that he and his community have historically been oppressed by, taking control of when the show began, what was said, and when it ended.
Many took to social media to share their thoughts on the performance, declaring Lamar the winner of the “Kendrick vs. Drake” battle. Although the feud between the two is undoubtedly sensational, it also distracts from the deeper meanings hidden in his performance. While sandwiching his statements regarding injustice and slavery between the beat of “Not Like Us” may have pleased the teenage boys waiting for the song to play, it also diluted Lamar’s message about racial injustice in America with his feud with Drake. As the sounds of the instrumentals of the diss track played, a show dedicated to a revolution turned into Lamar’s final blow in his battle with Drake. Although the inclusion of the diss track was expected, if Lamar were to exclude the song from this performance, it could’ve forced viewers and fans to look at his music and commentary beyond its relation to Drake. This possible dilution emphasizes the importance of nuanced discourse regarding Lamar’s Super Bowl performance. The most sensational part of the performance was not the only valuable takeaway of this show.
Lamar’s ultimate diss was toward the country itself. He took his moment on one of the biggest stages in the world to remind his audience, his viewers, and the President of the United States about the political state of America and its often-overlooked history.
Lamar’s Great American Game created a level of visibility on these issues that cannot be discounted. Regardless of one’s opinions on the validity of celebrities and artists participating in political events or actions, one cannot deny the significance of Lamar’s statement. The unique diversity of the Super Bowl audience, reaching millions of people across the political and ideological spectrum, guaranteed his message was heard and seen by as many people as possible. Performances taking place in spaces as apolitical (arguably) as a football game can be a space of protest—demanding the privileged class, including the President himself, to pay attention to something in other forms they may ignore.
In the current state of our country, political burnout is real and completely valid. However, art can be a place of rehabilitation, community, and re-inspiration. There are spaces and people who are still creating, still protesting, and still fighting in the most unexpected ways, even on the Super Bowl halftime stage. Lamar used this performance to show his audience that no matter how terrible the world can seem, no matter who is in the crowd, he and the generations of injustice will not be ignored. He’ll keep rapping, we will all keep fighting, and in his own words, “We gon’ be alright.”
