While the Super Bowl is mostly for people into football, non-sports fans always have the annual Halftime show to look forward to. The headliner, Kendrick Lamar, hip-hop superstar and Grammy-winning “Not Like Us” artist, was rewarded for his astronomical success this year. His performance featured SZA, a talented, rising R&B artist who collaborated with him on multiple album releases prior.
Lamar is highly respected within the music genre. Known for his lyricism and commitment to cementing a message in his music, there was no doubt his performance would be any different. Using symbolism, he took the opportunity on the national stage to criticize America’s treatment of African Americans over the years.
The performance begins with actor Samuel L. Jackson dressed as the iconic American propaganda figure—Uncle Sam. Donning a star-spangled top hat and clean-cut blue and red suit, he theatrically introduces the show as “the Great American Game.”
The scene fades to Lamar crouching on a car. His opening lyrics and subsequent performance of “squabble up” pay homage to his journey to fame—“government cheese” and “food stamps” referencing the poverty he grew up in. Ultimately though, he rose above, challenging the critics and becoming “the greatest.”
Uncle Sam makes a rude interruption: “Too loud! Too reckless! Too…ghetto!”—the last word uttered with vehement disgust. It represents how marginalized communities are often told to assimilate into mainstream culture. Anything too out-of-line or “too ghetto” is immediately shut down.
Lamar shows no signs of stopping, however, transitioning into “HUMBLE” as his backup dancers orient themselves to the American flag. He splits the patriotic symbol down the middle, representing the hypocrisy of the American dream. Its promise of guaranteed success is often a fantasy for Black Americans who must contend with hurdles of long-standing racism and continual attacks on their culture. The lyrics “Sit down / Be humble” simultaneously challenge white America’s superiority complex while allowing Lamar to proudly redefine what it means to be American.
Following his performance of “peekaboo,” Lamar changes his mind, vowing to “slow it down.” As the first verse of “luther” drifts through the stadium, SZA gracefully enters in a red leather set. Her voice is soulful and intimate, creating the illusion that she’s singing directly in one’s ear. The music continues to crescendo into “All the Stars” as SZA’s belts intertwine with Lamar’s energetic, smooth raps.
Uncle Sam butts in with a cheeky grin: “Yeah!…That’s what America wants, nice and calm…Don’t mess this-” But before he can finish his sentence, Lamar has moved on.
The finale begins with the iconic hook of “Not Like Us” as Lamar raps, “40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than music.” Referring to the rigged sharecropping system to keep former slaves subservient, it’s another dig at white America’s treatment of African Americans in history.
Serena Williams, a famous women’s tennis player, makes a surprise appearance performing the crip walk. Not only is she Drake’s ex-girlfriend, Williams performed the crip walk after winning Wimbledon in 2012. At the time, it drew criticism for being too crass and insensitive toward victims of gang violence. By reclaiming the move on national television, she displays her pride for her cultural heritage and refusal to “tone it down” for approval.
Many viewers appreciated his hidden messages. Isha Bisht, a longtime Kendrick fan, commented, “I really liked his messages. I thought he did it in a creative way that was hidden but still understood.” Lamar’s performance reminds society of the injustices still present in today’s culture. As Lamar turns the TV off, one is left to ponder what they will do with his imperative message.
