Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Concrete proof of this age-old saying is Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show. Some people loved it and some people hated it. I think the people who hated it didn’t understand it.
I am going to break down my top five favorite pieces of symbolism that I (and many others) saw in the halftime performance.
DISCLAIMER: This is an opinion piece. What I saw in the halftime show may not have been what you saw, but that is the beauty of art!
#1: Lamar’s Bootcut Jeans
Bootcut jeans are a historical sign of rebellion during the 1960s counterculture movement. They symbolized freedom of expression, cultural change and were a popular clothing choice for Black activists at the time. Throughout the show there were other more obvious pieces of symbolism, but I thought the subtlety of the jeans and what they represent was a good place to start.
While there is no doubt that Lamar absolutely rocked those jeans, they also hold significance, especially in the political climate we are in. With the president in the stands of Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Lamar took the chance to show that he was against the grain and stood with the marginalized.
#2: Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam was a cartoon depiction based on a white merchant supplying meat products to the army during the War of 1812. The most famous depiction of him is a cartoon depiction of him pointing to the viewer and asking the young men of the early 1900s to join in the war efforts. Uncle Sam was the embodiment of the US government and patriotism at the time.
Having Samuel L. Jackson, a Black man who was kicked out of Morehouse College and convicted of unlawful confinement during a protest of the school’s curriculum and administration, is a huge in-your-face symbolic gesture that cannot be ignored. If the bootcut jeans were against the grain, this is a back turned to what America wants again.
Uncle Sam (Mr. Jackson) throughout the performance had dialogue where he asked Lamar if he knew how to play “the great American game.” He also called Lamar too loud, reckless and ghetto. Uncle Sam told him repeatedly to essentially tone down his image in order to play the game that is American mainstream media.
This is a symbolic portrayal of how Black artists have been historically– and still are– told to cool their image and portray what white Americans would want to see and listen to. This is also a generalized statement about how America treats Black people unfairly.
#3: The American Flag Built on the Backs of Black Dancers
America was built off the backs of Black slaves whether you want to admit it or not. Not liberty and justice for all, not a land that is free for every man.
This was not the only piece of symbolism in the show that referenced slavery, but it was more subtle than the others.
Today, we see a raging fire of hate spreading through everyday life because of the administration America is currently run by. Using his platform, on the biggest stage in American television, right in front of the new president of the United States, Lamar spoke loud and proud about the state of our democracy and what it’s doing to the citizens of America.
#4: 40 Acres and A Mule
This one was definitely not as subtle as the American flag. During a transition between songs, Lamar said, “40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music.” This is a direct reference to the promise told to newly freed slaves and then promptly broken.
This was the point in the performance where I realized everything I thought I was reading into and radicalizing was actually radical and something to read into. Lamar made the show into something way bigger than his feud with Drake.
There really isn’t anything to analyze about this moment; it was spelled out for everyone to see and hear.
I think something important to bring up is the fact that it still went right over a lot of people’s heads. All throughout social media, people have been calling it a DEI performance and being downright hateful and racist toward Lamar and the work he put into the show. Even high-power individuals in government took to social media to insult the performance.
The sheer amount of vitriol thrown at the performance on mainstream social media platforms shows just how brave racists have become thanks to the currentadministration in office.
#5: The Revolution Was Televised
At the very beginning of the performance, Lamar said, “the revolution is about to be televised, you picked the right time, but the wrong guy.” This is a reference to Gil Scott-Heron’s song “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.”
The song explains that important social change usually doesn’t happen in the eyes of mainstream media. Herron’s song encourages people to open up their minds and speak up about issues that need to be addressed. Lamar did just that, along with every performer on that field during the show. Lamar saying it will be televised is taking the message of Herron’s song and turning it into a reality.
As I See Things…
The performance was not just about Drake being a pedophile, it was a political statement addressing the issues that have forever burdenedmarginalized groups in America. While we have moved so far from what our nation stood for 100 years ago, we are quickly inching back towards a more hateful and unsafe nation for minorities.
Lamar’s performance gave light to the issues that Black people face, not just in the show business industry, but in their everyday lives. Without artists bold and smart enough to make statements like this, America would not be where it is today.