On Feb. 9, 2025, Super Bowl LIX took place at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Every year, an artist or group is chosen to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime show. Kendrick Lamar’s performance this year took the internet by storm, and although many critics watching may have described it as “boring,” Lamar used his platform to put out a cryptic political message. He has a history of addressing political and social concerns through music, and it is not a coincidence.
Lamar packed his performance with symbolism that spoke volumes on the socio-political position of America – even if it takes some digging and research to understand.
Uncle Sam
The first thing you might have seen on your screen was Samuel L. Jackson playing the part of the American icon, Uncle Sam. He appears a few times throughout the performance and is a huge political symbol throughout the entire show, constantly seeming to challenge Lamar. In particular, he says that Lamar is “too loud, too ghetto.” This comment allows Lamar to be two steps ahead of the inevitable criticism he’ll get about his music style and points out the racism he faces.
The “Game”
One of the first things that Uncle Sam says is, “Mr. Lamar, do you know how to play the game?” On the surface, it can be interpreted as football, but it metaphorically stands for the game of life in America. It implies that the people of America are being “played” like a game by the government and the upper class. Also, it can be interpreted specifically as the game of people having to change themselves to dodge prejudice and climb the invisible ladder, which is intended to resonate with the colored population of America. This game is referenced multiple times throughout the performance. First shown with the setup of the stage– crafted to look like a game controller with symbols that appear in a PlayStation controller. At the end of the performance, after Jackson questions Lamar, the lights go out, and the stand lights spell out “game over”.
American Flag
As Lamar rapped the hit singles “HUMBLE” and “DNA”, dancers dressed in red, white, and blue joined into an American flag formation. There, they all move in tight unison with sharp movements. At one point, the flag split in half; each side divided, with a gap in the middle where Lamar stood. It symbolized the harsh division between not only political parties but also the morals and beliefs of America.
The “X”
During the middle of the show, Lamar finds himself standing in the X of the game controller. Only the men dressed in white were inside, and the female dancers dressed in red were “locked” out. This symbolized the misogyny and racism that females of color often face in America. Eventually, the women are let into the X where Lamar consults with them and asks for advice on what he should do. This is a common theme throughout the performance, which illustrates that the harsh divide between rough masculinity and divine femininity is not natural. Overall, mixing the two creates the best outcome.
“40 Acres and A Mule”
Before Lamar’s Grammy-winning single “Not Like Us” is performed, he has a dialogue with three women. On the surface, he is just asking them if he should play the song. However, he says the following line: “40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music.” This is a historical reference to the Civil War, when formerly enslaved people were promised “40 acres and a mule” upon being freed. However, that promise was never fulfilled, and now represents the broken promises made towards the black community time and time again. The line “This is bigger than the music” is Lamar saying outright that his performance isn’t just musical entertainment but rather an artistic and political statement.
