Touchdown? Background noise. Chips and dip? Stale. Commercials? Entirely overhyped. Yet, Kendrick Lamar’s calculated 13-minute halftime show performance at the LIX Super Bowl had me on the edge of my seat, and it solidified his legacy as one of the most talented contemporary rappers.
While many artists take the stage at the Super Bowl merely for publicity, Lamar used his platform to deliver a striking message on pressing issues. Each of the ten songs which Lamar performed were embellished with symbolism critiquing America’s ongoing racial and political tensions along with the destructiveness of black hatred and imposed stereotypes.
Here’s a breakdown of Lamar’s most striking symbolic moves which he incorporated in his performance.
Uncle Sam
Actor Samuel L. Jackson took the stage dressed as Uncle Sam, dripping in the patriotic colors of red and blue, sparkling with white stars. In between Lamar’s songs, Jackson appears on screen, criticizing Lamar’s performance as “too loud,” “too reckless,” “too ghetto,” and that he must “tighten up.” Uncle Sam carries out numerous attempts at censoring Lamar’s performance, indicating a common practice of control over black artists’ expression. Uncle Sam represents many of the far right voices which often label black artists as “too black” and work to silence their voices. As Uncle Sam critiqued Lamar and his dancers, all of whom are black, Lamar powerfully continued his performance, staying true to himself and his craft.
American Flag
Lamar’s backup dancers marched into an American flag formation as he performed his hit singles “HUMBLE” and “DNA.” Caught in a sea of red and white stripes, Lamar stands in the center, breaking up the flag. Lamar’s division between his dancers reflects the lyrics of his songs which discuss challenging authority and demanding recognition. The split flag also represents the looming divisions in our country following the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election. Lamar’s strategic placement in the center may also signal the potential for unity through music, which has given him a voice for over 20 years through a variety of personal obstacles.
PlayStation Button
Blinking light was transferred from one corner to the next as monotone beeps relayed from each shape. The show featured an X, O, square and triangle shape formation similar to that of a PlayStation remote control. In an interview with Wired, Shelly Rodgers, the show’s art director, revealed that the video game theme was “symbolic, his way to reach young people” and that “a lot of it is showing his journey, traveling through the American dream.” This video game theme was common throughout his performance with “Game Over” appearing at the end of his performance as well, likely an ode to the end of his show, as well as his beef with Drake, signaling that he has come out on top.
“Warning Wrong Way”
Letters spelling out “Warning Wrong Way” glistened in the crowd. Through another video game directive, Lamar likely critiqued America’s direction led by a second term under President Trump, who was in attendance at the event. With Lamar’s recent dominance at the Grammys where he took home five awards, this phrase may also be seen as a warning to the music industry of a shift in the power dynamics within both rap and hip-hop.
“40 Acres and a Mule”
“Forty acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music,” was perhaps the most internet-breaking remark which Lamar incorporated into his jam-packed performance. Forty acres and a mule was the infamously promised to former slaves after the Civil War through the Special Field Orders, No. 15. Lamar likely chose to highlight this unkept promise in order to underscore a general theme of systemic injustices through broken promises and failures by the government in relation to black or formerly enslaved people.
In just 13 minutes, Lamar was able to cement his legacy as a revolutionary voice who used the world’s biggest stage to have one of the most important conversations. Lamar left a lasting imprint on his young audience that they should confront injustices and advocate for a path forward.
