On February 9, 2025, arguably one of the most culturally significant sports games took place: the Super Bowl. Along with the famous football game comes the highly anticipated halftime show, performed by different renowned artists every year. This year, Kendrick Lamar took the stage using his 13 minutes to portray various meaningful symbols throughout the show. When my family and I first sat down to watch the performance, I was slightly confused and not significantly impressed by it. However, after understanding the true meaning behind Lamar’s words and stage performance, I highly respect his attention to detail and commentary on current affairs.
The show opens with Samuel L. Jackson speaking to the audience. Based on his dialogue throughout the performance, the actor clearly represents Uncle Sam. Uncle Sam is a personification of the United States, a very patriotic symbol of the country and its government. Throughout the show, Uncle Sam continues to interrupt Lamar, heavily criticizing his performance. At one point, Uncle Sam tells Lamar the show is “too ghetto.” This moment speaks for the experiences of many African Americans, constantly being told that their culture is not palatable enough for society and must fit the mold of an ideal “American.” Uncle Sam also says, “Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game?”, hinting towards the way the U.S. government toys with its citizens.
When transitioning to the song “Squabble Up” from his most recent album, Lamar says, “The revolution bout to be televised, you picked the right time but the wrong guy.” Many viewers have differing opinions as to what Lamar meant by this, but I believe that he was referring to Donald Trump’s recent election win. His message tells the audience that his performance is about to be a revolt and rebellion against the government, and that our country has picked the “wrong guy” for president.
Another significant moment occurs during Lamar’s performance of “HUMBLE,” one of his hit songs. During this song, Lamar is seen standing in the middle of the American flag, which symbolizes the immense divide in our country caused by racism and political issues. Moreover, the flag is built by a group of Black backup dancers, another act of rebellion telling America that people of color have framed the basis of our country.
Before performing his Grammy–winning song, “Not Like Us,” Lamar says, “40 acres and a mule– this is bigger than the music.” “40 acres and a mule” is a phrase Kendrick Lamar uses frequently in his music– a reference to the broken promise America made to former slaves after the Civil War. The U.S. promised to give formerly enslaved Black Americans 40 acres of land and a mule to help them build a new life for themselves. However, this promise was quickly forgotten and the government failed to follow through with it. So, when Lamar says his line, he is essentially calling out America for its broken promises and unfinished business. He also uses this moment to tell the world that his performance has a much deeper meaning beyond just his music.
During the show, there is a brief moment where we see a part of the audience lit up with lights spelling out the phrase, “WARNING WRONG WAY.” This message is yet another warning to society that our country is progressing backwards. Lamar tells us, again, that Trump’s return to presidency was a massive step in the wrong direction for America.
These symbols clearly show how Kendrick Lamar uses his platform to speak on important issues. Rather than the performance solely being a diss to Drake, Lamar sneaked in many hidden messages telling Americans how corrupt our country has become. The fact that Lamar made all of these bold statements while Trump was present at the game just speaks for his bravery and dedication to his craft. The Super Bowl is America’s biggest sports event, and Lamar used his time to not only perform a beautiful show, but also call out the country for its faults.
