More Than Music- Symbolism in the Superbowl

I think it’s safe to say the Super Bowl Halftime show is one of the only reasons non-sports fans tune in to the game, meaning depending on who headlines, can make or break viewership. Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance brought in many at-home viewers including myself due to the mainstream virality he’s gained since “Like That” and even more notably “Euphoria.” There have been some conflicting stances on his performance at the Super Bowl, many people questioning whether it was entertaining enough. I personally find the cultural significance, symbolism, clever imagery, and cameos extremely interesting knowing the context. So, this February/Black History Month, let’s explore a few of the cultural symbolisms that were present in Kendrick’s performance. 

Systemic Oppression

One of the most noticeable references to systemic oppression was Samuel L Jackson’s appearance as ‘Uncle Sam’ who is the personification of government authority. Traditionally, ‘Uncle Sam’ is meant to be patriotic and preach national ideology. Kendrick and Samuel L Jackson’s portrayal uses the character to critique and enforce those ideals upon Kendrick Lamar. The character constantly interjects and calls Kendrick “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto”, all phrases used to suppress and overgeneralize Black people throughout history. This is a reminder of the way mainstream America tends to constrain and push down Black expression. Uncle Sam in the Black community tends to be the personification of contradictions, oppression, and ostracizing standpoints. 

Reparations

Kendrick subtly integrates the concept of reparations into the Super Bowl performance by mentioning “40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music.” This phrase was a promise made to freed African Americans after the Civil War which was a systemic failure as it was unfulfilled. Mentioning this phrase critiques the broken promise that was made and calls for America to confront the historical debts that cause economic inequity that affects Black Americans to this day. 

Cultural Expression in Modern Media

Kendrick is known for his double entendres, his cameos being no different. Many assume Serena Williams’s appearance to only be a diss towards Drake, however, there is an important cultural discussion that her cameo refers to. Yes, Serena dated Drake, but that’s not where her significance ended. During the 2012 Olympics, after winning gold, she did the ‘Crip-Walk’ dance in celebration. The ‘Crip-Walk’ originated in Compton, where Serena is from, and was used as means of communication and self-expression in the Crips gang. Over time, the dance move broke away from the gang-related context and became a mainstream element in West-Coast hip-hop. Today, it’s seen as a cultural expression and a celebration of heritage. However, when Serena ‘Crip-Walked’ during the Olympics, she received a lot of backlash and controversy. Deciding to do the same dance at another televised sporting event was an intentional reference and a way to reclaim the ‘crip-walk’ as a form of black expression.

• #celebrity
• KendrickLamar
• Superbowl
• symbolism