On one of the biggest stages in the U.S., Kendrick Lamar headlined the halftime performance show at the already exciting rematch between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles at the 2025 Super Bowl. Following the high of a Grammys sweep, Lamar made history again by being the first solo rapper to headline the now most-watched Super Bowl Halftime Show of all time with 133.5 million viewers (almost 8 million more viewers than the Super Bowl itself).
The show was jampacked with references to African American history, years of Drake-related drama, and political imagery, leaving social media divided on whether this was a halftime show or art.
- “Uncle Sam”
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Opening the show was a surprise guest star, legendary actor Samuel L. Jackson, portraying the long-standing symbol of American patriotism: Uncle Sam. Jackson kicks off the performance with the double entendre statement of playing “the great American game,” which at first seems a reference to the cultural dominance football has on America and the reason for the performance. However, the “great American game” can also be interpreted as Uncle Sam implying that all Americans are simply playing a game of appearances and abiding by the rules of culture.
Later, Uncle Sam attempts to censor Lamar’s performance, calling it “too loud, too ghetto,” evoking some of the language used against artists of color for embracing culture in their art.
Interestingly enough, prior to his prolific career as an actor, Jackson was a stark activist. As a young man, Jackson was an active member of the Black Panther movement, served as an usher at Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral, and was even on the FBI’s radar at one point.
- The Set Design
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Many were confused to see the whole stage, wondering what exactly the clinical white and shapes meant.
For starters, the stage is organized into four sections, each resembling one of the iconic PlayStation buttons (square, x, circle, and triangle). This ties into the previous Uncle Sam statement of “the great American game” and performance, with the stage set for a game. At the end of the performance, Lamar lit up the seating section with a bright sign stating “GAME OVER”.
The other notable aspect of the set comes in the middle space between the controller button sets. If you look closely, the long white strip is actually a prison yard, complete with wire fencing and corner stoops. The prison yard is theorized to serve as a symbol for the prison system in America, as well as the rampant issues with mass incarceration and the racial disparities between Black Americans and other Americans facing the justice system.
- “The Revolution is Being Televised”
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Quoting the satirical Black liberation song from Gil Scott-Heron, “The revolution is being televised,” was an understatement for the loaded symbolism in the entire halftime performance.
As we move into one of the most politically charged and divisive moments of the United States history, the changes that will one day be studied in U.S. history classes are unfolding on the television screens before us. Lamar, who has frequently used the issues of African American history, politics, and culture in his music, is only further using his platform to make known the importance of our time.
Similarly, the costuming of the performance gives credence to the politically charged performance. The dancers were clothed in a majority of either red, white, or blue outfits and often came together to form the American flag or clash to symbolize division.
Lastly, the entirety of the performance of “Not Like Us,” which can be its own literary study, speaks volumes on the issues faced by the Black community. Beginning the performance with the line, “Forty acres and a mule this bigger than the music,” Kendrick references an old phrase made in the aftermath of the Civil War to freed slaves who promised them land and resources to become self-sufficient but were quickly broken in the Reconstruction era. To use it is to remind viewers to always be aware of false promises, to not let the Black community allow itself to be told to be happy for what it has been given, and is also used to showcase that his performance extends beyond just music — it’s a message.
- Serena Williams & SZA
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Many online and even on the radio wondered why 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams was at the performance. For context, Drake and Williams are believed to have briefly dated in the early 2010s. In his song “Middle of the Ocean,” Drake references the athlete and her husband with the lyrics, “Sidebar, Serena, your husband a groupie / He claims we don’t got a problem but / No, boo.” Lamar responded on his track “Not Like Us,” saying, “Better not speak on Serena.”
Williams’ dance, the Crip walk, is also a pivotal moment in her and Black history. While the dance originates in 1970s gang culture, it has since grown to be a pivotal part of the Black Los Angeles community, especially those from Compton as Lamar and Williams are. It is also important to Williams, who was slammed via social media for Crip walking after her victory at the 2012 Olympics by critics who claimed the dance “glamorized” gang violence.
While talented in her own right, SZA has been theorized to be brought out for similar reasons as Williams: the pair dated in 2008, but the relationship was kept under wraps until the rapper referenced it in his song, “Mr. Right Now.”
In a historical Super Bowl Halftime, Lamar gave us a performance that not only has viewers singing along but also has them viewing the political and historical atmosphere around them, forcing them to be aware of their surroundings and all that comes with it.