On February 9th, 2025, the NFL had their yearly Super Bowl performance that consisted of two teams. The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. In the middle of the game, the halftime show begins. This year, the halftime show was performed by the infamous Kendrick Lamar, with celebrity guest surprises from R&B Icon SZA, one of the most famous women’s tennis players Serena Williams, and award-winning actor Samuel L. Jackson. Kendrick Lamar is an influential and significant artist in the current generation, during the course of his performance he made strong statements that consisted of resilience, and ambition, that brought awareness to people watching. This performance was nothing short of symbolic. From the music to the images, every element of his presentation was intended to celebrate African American heritage and highlight the challenges that they face in society. Lamar’s stage presence turned into a forum for empowerment, solidarity, and unity in a world where structural issues still exist. Generations of people who have long struggled for equality and recognition were given a voice by symbolism. There were 3 MAJOR moments that stood out that have deep symbolic meaning that MUST be addressed!
The Compton California Field Flag
In his performance, Kendrick included a huge visual of the Compton flag. This flag was a tribute to his hometown located in Compton, California. The flag is a point of pride for the West Coast and its hip-hop community. Kendrick’s reasoning was to represent black culture and leaves this as a constant reminder of his place of origin, which holds a large African-American community. The imagery was an example of pride in showing the world how far he’s come from and honor within communities that have otherwise been misinterpreted.
The Uncle Sam Figure as Samuel L. Jackson
The book figure also known as “Uncle Sam”, is a representation of the common national personification of the United States of America.Uncle Sam is a symbol of the U.S. and what makes this so important is that this character was played by Samuel L. Jackson during the Super Bowl. The symbolism in this case was displayed throughout the performance with him having phrases in-between Kendrick’s lyrical performance. Uncle Sam spoke phrases to influence African Americans, and mainly Kendrick Lamar’s performance stating that it was “Too loud”, or “Too ghetto.” The message was America oppresses and creates negative outlooks on African Americans but you can’t fake the influence they possess.
The Super Bowl Closing Scene with Black Power Fist Raised
This part of the performance was towards the end and held a multitude of value with images of both Kendrick Lamar’s dancers and him raising their fists in reference to the Black Power movement. This image represents unity, and resistance and highlights civil rights struggles during African American history. It was brought to the present because there are still moments in society where African Americans often fight for justice and equality, yet this fight is still ongoing. Overall, it was an act of solidarity and was a staple in the profound symbolism of the halftime performance.
Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl halftime performance was a monumental moment in history that blended amazing entertainment and visuals while also carrying a deep importance towards African American struggle and inequality. The presence of Samuel L. Jackson and few other celebrities was a reminder of unity and broadened the spectrum for other viewers watching. The performance was a constant reminder of how important these symbolic moments were and this performance served as a huge platform for strengthening empowerment. These three symbolic moments represented fighting for immediate change in the ongoing fight for justice for the African American community.