The Super Bowl halftime show is typically a showcase of the finest talent, elite singers, dancers, set designs, and, of course, a parade of beloved celebrities. So, what made this year’s show so controversial, despite appearing to be another stellar performance?
This performance began without any music, as the familiar face of Samuel L. Jackson appeared dressed as Uncle Sam, an American icon. He motioned to a stage, and by looking down from above it looked like a board covered in X’s and O’s. He welcomed the audience to the “Great American Game,” and the lights in the stadium crowd spelled out “Start Here.” This was followed by a downward arrow pointing on Kendrick Lamar, and the first ever solo rap halftime show began.
Lamar opened with the song “squabble up,” from his 2024 record, before Samuel L. Jackson, representing a personification of the American system, interjected, loudly yelling, “Too loud, too reckless, too…Ghetto.”
This didn’t deter Lamar at all, however, and he immediately followed it up with two more of his songs, “HUMBLE,” and “DNA.” As he performed, a countless number of dancers clad in red, white, and blue, all black men and women, spilled out of the Buick GNX that was resting on stage. The dancers stood closely together in a rectangle formation, the colors aligning to form an American flag.
In a dramatic moment, the dancers swiftly split in two, revealing Kendrick Lamar at the center. The visual effect mimicked the flag being torn in half, symbolizing the deep political and moral divisions within the country. Meanwhile, the stadium lights spelled out “Warning, Wrong Way.”
Between the lights in the crowd and the stage, Lamar was very obviously creating a video game-like feeling for the crowd, most likely targeting younger audiences as well. The show’s art director Shelley Rodgers said, “I think it was symbolic, his way to reach young people. A lot of it is showing his journey, traveling through the American dream.” These hints may emphasize the unrest in the political system in America, further emphasized by the idea that newly appointed President Donald Trump was spectating the show.
Adding another layer to the message, Kendrick Lamar included powerful remarks during his performance. He declared, “The revolution ‘bout to be televised, you picked the right time but the wrong guy,” hinting that allegedly he believes the American government teeters on the edge of collapse, should the people rise up at the wrong moment.
Lamar also made a comment about, “Forty acres and a mule, this is bigger than music,” referencing Special Field Orders, No 15, stating that all freed formerly enslaved families in 1865 would receive no more that 40 acres of land and a mule to start their new lives, and order that was rescinded by president Abraham Lincoln’s successor, President Andrew Johnson. Lamar’s comments, coupled with Jackson’s role, highlighted a powerful message about the historical and ongoing mistreatment of Black citizens in America, drawing attention to unkept promises and a broken system, possibly a nod to the nation’s current legal and political climate.
While all this was taking place, Lamar was also teasing his song, “Not Like Us,” for a large portion of the show. This song was originally crafted in 2024 corresponding to Lamar’s beef with Drake, another famous rapper. Many were unsure of whether or not Lamar would actually rap this song, because of news of a defamation lawsuit against him for his claims in the song that Drake was a pedophile.
At the end of his performance, to the delight of the roaring stadium crowd. Lamar did end up performing not like us. He was forced to change some of his lines, most likely to avoid getting in deeper trouble. One such line was, “Certified lover boy, certified pedophile,” a reference to Drake’s 2021 album “Certified Lover Boy.” The altercation he made was censoring the word “Pedohile,” by instead yelping at the end of that sentence.
In no way discouraged, Kendrick continued with the song, sneaking in a more subtle line, “Say Drake, I heard you like ‘em young,” while grinning directly into the camera. There were rumors online that this may have gotten him into trouble with the lawsuit, but nothing was confirmed.
Another lyric he managed to say on stage was “Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor,” which was also emphasized by the lowercase A chain he was wearing, accompanied by a jacket that read “Gloria” on the front, and bell bottom jeans.
Finally, as Drake is known for describing himself as a “Ladies Man,” in the music world, Lamar must have kept that in mind with his two featured guests. One was the guest singer SZA, who has worked on a multitude of songs with him including “30 for 30,” and “Gloria,” (which his jacket was referencing). In Drake’s song “Mr. Right Now,” he includes the lyric “‘Cause I used to date SZA back in ’08.” “SZA later clarified the timeline to 2009, making it clear she wasn’t underage at the time, since she turned 18 in November 2008.” says People.com.
Another one of Drake’s celebrity exes made it on stage too, sensational tennis icon Serena Williams came out for Lamar’s closing song, “TV oOF.” She did a popular dance to the song known as the “Crip Walk,” and seemed to overall enjoy the atmosphere greatly.
In the end, Kendrick Lamar was able to revolutionize music by using a blend of modern performance art mixed with historical references to create a theme of social and political unrest. He used his platform to spread this message to the millions of Americans that watch the superbowl every year, as well as publicly humiliate his rival, all while entertaining a large crowd. His performance will be sure to go down in Super Bowl and hip hop history.
