Kendrick Lamar Takes Over the Super Bowl

The Super Bowl is one of the most viewed events in America, attracting millions of football fans nationwide. This year’s Philadelphia Eagles v. Kansas City Chiefs game attracted a record 127.7 viewers (NFL.com). Football fans around the world tune in to watch two teams battle it out, but there are those who mostly look forward to the famous halftime performance, this year by rapper and Pulitzer Prize and Grammy winner, Kendrick Lamar. 

Beginning with a stage inspired by a PlayStation controller and “Uncle Sam” (played by Samuel L. Jackson) announcing “the great American game,” Lamar’s performance was exciting, engaging, and full of storytelling and symbolism. 

“As someone who doesn’t usually listen to rap music, I think he did really well,” said Ramapo senior Victoria Acunto. Lamar included some older songs such as “DNA,” “Humble,” and “All The Stars” with SZA, but mostly performed songs from his most recent album, GNX, including “Luther,” “Squabble Up,” “TV Off,” and of course, Grammy-winning “Not Like Us.” Though most agree that he had already won his famous feud against the artist Drake, this halftime show was certainly the final blow. Lamar began his performance of “Not Like Us” by saying “I wanna perform their favorite song but you know they love to sue” referencing Drake’s defamation lawsuit over the song. Then, in a quick moment that went viral, he looked straight at the camera to directly address Drake. 

Lamar also brought up Drake’s ex, tennis player Serena Williams, to be part of the performance. While on stage Williams was “crip walking,” a dance style that originated from Compton, Los Angeles, where both Lamar and Williams grew up. She had been criticized for dancing in a similar fashion after winning the London Olympics in 2012, with some claiming she was too “loud” and “ghetto” for a “respectable” sport like tennis (9News). During the performance, Samuel Jackson mocked the past comments, yelling “no no no, too loud, too reckless, too ghetto!”

Lamar’s halftime show was full of political and cultural symbolism, from lyrics to visuals to dramatic monologues. One of the first songs included dancers in the formation of a divided American flag, symbolizing the polarization in the nation. Many have also interpreted this as a reference to the Black Americans who were instrumental in the building of our nation and were forgotten. The entire show was filled with references to Black history and culture in the USA, including the line “40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music” referring to the land that was promised, but most did not receive, to freed slaves during reparation (9News). Ramapo English teacher Ms. Schwarz also pointed out that “I love to see someone sampling Luther Vandross,” a soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer whose name and music were used in the song “Luther”. The storytelling and symbolism were so vast that two Alabama professors have even created a curriculum exploring the nuances of the performance (Blavity).

We’ll be seeing more of Kendrick Lamar as he and SZA kick off their joint stadium tour on April 19, arriving in New Jersey in early May. Next year’s halftime show performer has a tough act to follow!