By Ezae Darby
Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show was arguably the greatest, and possibly most culturally impactful, performance of all time for the sport. Continuing the legacy of Michael Jackson’s mission to send a cultural message in his Super Bowl performance, Lamar masterfully carried on the legacy. While some internet critics were not impressed by the showing, it was undeniably a staple in the history of the annual contest, and the symbolism in the performance was unmatched.
For starters, the layout of the show itself embodied a very unique design. The stadium’s design was a nod to the popular gaming console Playstation, having different mini sets that resembled the arrangement of their trademark game controller. Being that video gaming is very popular in the modern-day, Lamar intended to catch the attention of his younger fans right from the jump.
Moreover, this demonstrated how Lamar’s life has felt like a video game, and how he’s experienced some questionable incidents whilst growing up that forced him to rethink some of his decisions as a young man.
Consequently, there were also several intentional messages displayed throughout the performance including statements like, “GAME OVER”, “WARNING WRONG WAY”, and “START HERE”. Although these statements were taken straight from video games and resembled their instructions, they ultimately reflected the disapproval from the mainstream media in having Lamar as a performer for this event. The bulk of Lamar’s discography has been dedicated to speaking out and against social justice and racism, which has been absorbed by the media as too “ghetto” and “hood.” These statements reinforced an old stereotype that painted Black Americans and hip-hop music as very loud and out-of-control, which applies to Kendrick’s music as well.
Throughout the performance, Lamar moved around the entire stadium, from one set to another, showcasing not only the divided people of America but also bringing awareness to the issue of mass incarceration in the country. As his performance progressed, the set is revealed to not only look like a giant game controller, but it also revealed to actually be a giant prison yard.
In addition to this, the dancers in the show only wore red, white, and blue-colored outfits to resemble the colors on the American flag. There were different points during the show where the dancers would scramble, separate, and even put their backs toward each other, and this intentional choreography demonstrated the great political divide that is currently plaguing America.
It was also obvious that his more hard-hitting songs were directly supported by the dancers wearing red; red is commonly associated with aggression, and in this case, demonstrated how these particular songs are seen as too “ghetto” for Americans to consume on a global scale. Lamar’s discography talks about the harsh reality of growing up in poor, dangerous communities, which is something that the mainstream media does not broadcast.
It is also worth noting that when SZA, one of this generation’s most popular R&B singers, made a surprise appearance. All of her supporting dancers wore blue to demonstrate how this song was considered to be more “calm” and appropriate for the show.
As the show progressed, dancers stomped across the stadium and merged their different color groups, demonstrating how Lamar not only led this “revolution” of sorts but also brought America together as a whole through his music.
It is also worth noting that early in the performance, he spoke about the revolution being televised. Here, Lamar referenced Gil Scott-Heron’s 1971 poem, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”. Heron was an American jazz poet, singer, musician, and author; this particular poem argued that Americans must take action to create change in this country and the media will not showcase the violence of racism.
Moreover, one particular part of the show paid homage to the music video for his song “HUMBLE”. Much like the music video and song itself, this part of the show drew a connection between Los Angeles gang rivalry and American culture. While both have caused a great divide in this country, Lamar’s music has manifested something of an alliance between the gangs in L.A.. It is obvious that he aims to have the same impact on the country as a whole through the imagery he has created in this performance.
Lamar even included one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Serena Williams, in the performance by having her crip-walk (a popular cultural dance in L.A.) during the show to further praise his hometown’s lifestyle. This dance was also done to embrace African-American culture globally.
One of the most notable parts of the show was the inclusion of critically acclaimed actor, Samuel L. Jackson. He took part in the show as an announcer and embodied the character of “Uncle Sam”, a character that is known as the national personification of the U.S. government and country as a whole.
Whilst the show transitioned into other songs, Uncle Sam would yell out statements including, “Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto” to convey the idea that this particular performance was very blunt and honest in how many Black-americans survive in this country.
One of the most surprising parts of the show was a dancer waving a Sudan/Gaza flag. It has been reported that Roc Nation, the entertainment company responsible for choosing the artist that will be performing at the Super Bowl, was not ware that this incidient would occur, according to CBS News. The dancer, identified as Zul-Qarnajn Nantambu, was interviewed by multiple sources and stated that he felt obligated to bring the oppression in these countries into the public spotlight on a global scale, as reported by NBC News.
Lamar and his supporting team can only hope that fans and non-fans alike were able to capture the essence of his historic performance. This Super Bowl halftime performance possessed so much substance and depth that it’s hard to deny its place amongst the best.