On February 9th, the Super Bowl had its first ever solo hip-hop performer as their headliner. The event was a monumental display of live entertainment by transcending the norms of musical performances. The act served as a vehicle for profound commentary regarding the current societal and political state of America. This led to extensive discourse being ignited across internet platforms. The artist responsible was none other than twenty-two-time Grammy Award winner Kendrick Lamar.
Lamar’s entrance was marked by his appearance on top of a black Buick GNX car, serving as a nod to the album cover of his recent 2024 release, “GNX.” The stage design served as the backdrop for key political commentary. For instance, dancers dressed in red, white, and blue formed a divided American flag during the song “HUMBLE.” This visual representation highlighted the nation’s ongoing division over unity and equality. Furthermore, the colour symbolism also reflects the political diverge between republican and democrat within the country.
A significant portion of the performance was dedicated to Lamar’s ongoing feud with rapper Drake. The highly anticipated track “Not Like Us,” which had previously won five Grammy Awards, was performed in maximum style. The heavy emphasis in delivering certain lines to the stunning stage presence simply reinforced the higher ground that Lamar continues to have in their rivalry.
A recurring thread throughout the performance was Oscar winning actor Samuel L. Jackson, who portrayed the symbolic American figure of Uncle Sam. At face value, his abrupt interruptions provided some humorous levity to Lamar’s intense performance. However, the satirical narration from Jackson actually serves as a vessel for the government’s societal control inflicted on African American artists. It reinforces Lamar’s central focus in his performance that is to remind audiences about America’s fractured social landscape.
The show also featured notable guest appearances. Iconic tennis player Serena Williams made a surprise appearance with her dance during “Not Like Us”. It was reminiscent of the Crip Walk she had previously done at the 2012 Summer Olympics, which was met with heavy criticism at the time. Perhaps this moment was meant to be an apparent indication of resilience against societal expectations. Furthermore, five-time Grammy Award winner and frequent Lamar collaborator, SZA, was given a moment to share the stage. This was for their duet performance of “All The Stars” and “Luther”. This was certainly a melodic highlight for the event. Thematically, it aligned with the concept of encouraging unity amongst the community. The guest appearances created a surprise for fans as well as adding layers to the performance’s narrative.
Personally, the best moment in the show was concluding the event with the song “TV Off”. Not only is it simply an energetic and infectious song, it also served as a tongue-in-cheek way of Lamar asking viewers to ‘turn the tv off’ once he finishes performing. It is as if his show was the only worthy highlight of the night or perhaps a means to digest the hidden symbolism from the performance. The phrase “GAME OVER” is displayed through crowd wristband lights as the final song ends. This speaks volumes in regards to the theme of America’s societal issues as well as Lamar ending his feud with Drake in victory.
Without a doubt, Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance left a lasting impression on its record-breaking 133.5 million viewers. It was a profound showcase of entertainment at a glance. Through a deeper lens, it was a bold artistic expression of race, politics, and the human experience in America. Art has the unique power to resonate and inspire others which the event certainly achieved.
Edited by Zara Ahmed.
