For both Super Bowl fans and non-football watchers, there is one thing that both sides tune in for: the halftime show, a performance meant not only to provide entertainment but to unite fans of the opposing teams through the power of music.
On Feb. 9, Kendrick Lamar was the first ever solo rapper to headline the Super Bowl, resulting in one of the most-watched half time shows of all time. However, this halftime show wasn’t just a performance, it was a political message.
Prior to his performance, he sat down for an interview at the Apple Music Super Bowl press conference on Feb. 6 where he hinted at what fans should expect from his performance.
“Storytelling,” Lamar said. “I’ve always been very open about storytelling through all my catalog and my history of music. I’ve always had a passion about bringing that on whatever stage I’m on.”
The show starts off with Samuel L. Jackson dressed up as Uncle Sam, the embodiment of America meant to represent patriotism, the government and the people. Placing Jackson as this character that is typically portrayed by white men provides a subtle pretense of what this performance is about.
Jackson then gives the intro of: “This is the great American game,” tying in with the stage itself, representing a video game console with the dancers taking formation into X’s, O’s, square and triangle shapes. America is a broad game of opportunity but Lamar argues that the “game” is designed to keep marginalized groups at a disadvantage while ultimately favoring the privileged. Every individual is so focused on “winning” that they start to turn on others, eventually leading to very little success. The “game” of America is like the game of Monopoly, driven by the capitalist pursuit to value wealth over humanity so that the system of the game only gives power to the few.
The background also illuminates the message: “Wrong Way”, a message about how Lamar feels that America is going in the wrong direction– whether it be political or social.
Before the opening song of “Squabble Up,” surrounded by Black dancers dressed in red, white and blue, Lamar states, “The revolution is about to be televised, you picked the right time but the wrong guy.” This phrase is a direct reference to Gil Scott-Heron’s 1971 spoken word piece, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. In that work, Scott-Heron argues that real revolution—true systemic change—won’t happen in the media but in the streets. Lamar twists this by acknowledging that revolutions are now being highlighted through social media, especially in times of change. However, Lamar is saying that we picked the wrong guy to lead us, which could be a nod to newly inaugurated President Donald Trump who was in attendance at the game.
After his performance of “Squabble Up,” Jackson says “No, no, no, no, no! Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto! Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game? Then tighten up,” which alludes to the fact that oftentimes, people of color, especially black people, are forced to adjust to the “white standard” of life in return for them sacrificing their culture and heritage.
Kendrick Lamar then performs “Be Humble” with the dancers in the shape of the American Flag. However, the flag is split right down the middle, possibly showcasing a current divide in America. The dancers are all moving in different directions, some forward and some backward, potentially illustrating how some push for change while others resist it.
During his and SZA’s performance of “All The Stars,” the choreography of the performance shifts from non-unison to almost robotic, cyclic movements, with all the dancers marching but with no destination in mind. The song ends with Jackson saying, “That’s what America wants, nice and calm,” stating how America wants everyone to be a part of the system and lose their individuality.
Throughout this performance, Lamar often added his own lyrics not part of the original song. One instance is when performing “Not Like Us,” he added the line “40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music. They tried to rig the game, but you can’t fake influence.” This is a nod to the failed historical promise of reparations made toward freed slaves after the Civil War. It adds on to the list of broken promises made by the government that disenfranchise black people’s desire for economic stability and contribute towards systematic racism.
Lamar wrapped up his performance with the song “TV Off,” featuring light-up letters spelling out “game over” as the stadium went dark.
