Super Bowl Halftime Show and its Diss at America
By Riley Duignan
On February 9th, 2025, America held its 59th annual Superbowl, an American Football tournament hosted in the U.S.
Traditionally, the halftime show performed by a musical artist is around 12-14 minutes. All artists have their own different themes, energy, and meaning behind their performances. Artists such as Michael Jackson, Rihanna, The Weeknd, Eminem, etc. have performed at the Superbowl.
Kendrick Lamar, an infamous rapper who gained large popularity at the beginning of the 2010s, performed at the 59th Super Bowl halftime show. All his backup dancers were seen wearing either Red, White, Or Blue, a visually patriotic meaning. But interpretively it was not patriotic, instead a show to call out systemic issues in America at this moment and in history.
We start by seeing an X, O, Square, and triangle, slightly lit up on the field but looking like the buttons on a PlayStation remote. Indicating, possibly “Game Start”. Samuel L. Jackson dressed up in a patriotic suit, introducing himself as “Uncle Sam” and saying “This is the great American Game!”. Uncle Sam is an American character that represents American patriotism and nationalism. He is a white man with a long beard, wearing a blue suit with a white hat that has blue stars on it. You may have notoriously seen him on a poster in your history class, saying “We want you for the U.S Army” while pointing at the reader. Representing the US government by asking people to join the war effort. In this performance, Uncle Sam represents the US government and white supremacists.
Part 1 Interpretation
As the show starts the camera zones into Kendrick Lamar, standing on a car and beginning his performance
He says “The revolution is about to be televised, you picked the right time but the wrong guy.” This was a specific reference to Gil-Scott-Heron’s 1971 poem “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” about Black Liberation. Its message was that revolutionary efforts and transformation cannot be a passive effort, it requires active participation. It also criticizes the way revolutions or protests are depicted on television through bias if televised and shown to the public at all. Kendrick indicates that there will be protests and revolution in America at this time, it will be shown and told.
He begins to play his song “squabble up”, the word squabble means engaging in a quarrel or a petty fight. This was ironic, after just talking about a revolution soon to be televised. This could be telling the American population to protest and start a fight against the government if you’re not content with it. As a reminder, they dance on the square, representing the start of the “game”.
Kendrick then transitions into one of his songs, and his backup dancers begin to dance in a hip-hop style, a style that is deeply rooted in African American culture. This could be a protest as the music continues to say “Squabble up”. Uncle Sam (Samuel L. Jackson) interrupts the performance, yelling, “No, no, no, no, no! Too loud, too reckless, too… Ghetto!”. This represents the U.S. government stamping racial stereotypes on the Black population, trying to restrict and ‘kill’ culture and expression. And lastly, shut down protests against inequality.
Uncle Sam continues to say, “Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game? Then tighten up!” Uncle Sam saying this could represent white populations and the government trying to repress Black American traits, expression, and culture to force them to fit into a dominantly white society.
Part 2 Interpretation
The camera then focuses on Kendrick and the Dancers, As the dancers form an American flag, it is split down the middle. Kendrick stands in between it, representing divide and non-unity in our country.
Another possible interpretation of this is how Black Americans built up America. All of the dancers who form the American flag are Black, and Kendrick ironically sings his track “Humble” at this moment. Potentially being a message for American society to accept the influence and construction that has come from Black Americans and marginalized communities.
As the dancers and Kendrick have spread across the stage placed on the field, the camera zones out. Lights in the audience spell out “Warning, wrong way”. This a specific diss and reference to American politics right now, as DEI (Diversity, equity, and inclusion) begins to be rolled back, mass deportations, and many immigrants are becoming victims of violent and aggressive ICE raids.
DEI – initiatives that allow equal access and opportunity to everyone regardless of their race, ethnicity, or gender.
A few minutes later after Kendrick had moved, he walks to a group of men who are leaning against a light pole, seemingly Kendrick’s friends. The friend group represents Black Americans, as they wear a different outfit from the other dancers in only one color. These friends are in white shirts and baggy jeans that look like streetwear. A style that is arguably created and inspired by Black Americans and rooted in their culture. All of the men also wear Grillz(s). Grillz are now used as oral jewelry and often represent wealth and status. With diamonds, gold, and other valuable items on them. They were popularized in the 1980s by a multitude of hip-hop artists and rappers. They put the meaning of wealth, creativity, and status onto them. Though grillz are rooted from ancient Etruscans, Mayans, and Egyptians, They’ve become a representation of creativity, wealth, and cultural significance to many Black Americans.
Uncle Sam comes into the frame, and the group of friends begin to run away, representing purposeful intimidation from the American government.
The camera transitions to Kendrick Lamar and multiple backup dancers standing in a big X-lit-up red. He teases at introducing one of his most famous tracks “Not Like Us” and
Uncle Sam screams “Oh you’ve lost your damn mind!”.
Part 3 Interpretation
Kendrick Lamar and Sza perform two songs together, the last being “All the Stars” one of their most famous tracks together. The performance is calm and peaceful, little representation or symbolism of culture or political reference is mentioned in this performance. Right as it’s over, the camera pans over to Uncle Sam once again, “Ah Ha! That’s what I’m talking about, that’s what America wants! Nice, Calm, You’re almost there, don’t mess this-!” Then interrupted by the track “Not Like Us”, looking visually upset.
Uncle Sam saying this shows that after Black Americans were forced to assimilate into a dominantly white society, the government finally showed some mercy and grace. Now cultural traits and expressions were repressed. But yet, culture will never be fully suppressed, which was what interrupted Uncle Sam.
Immediately after, Kendrick pops up behind Uncle Sam, singing “It’s a cultural divide imma get it on the floor, 40 acres and a mule this is bigger than the music”.
This line refers back to the promise the US government made to formerly enslaved people after the Civil War. The promise was intended to allow freedmen to begin to have economic independence by giving them areas of confederate land, and a mule, an animal that is extremely helpful for farming and reliability. But, the promise was broken to most freedmen after President Andrew Johnson was put into office. He did not intend to give freedmen what they had been promised.
As a reference to his line, “It’s a cultural divide” He could be talking about both history and current times. The US was extremely culturally divided, especially after the Civil War through their racism and ignorance to not only incoming immigrants but also toward freedmen and African Americans’ culture.
Somewhat similarly it could be argued that this line is about current times in America. As America has become divided through the recent presidential election, MAGA supporters tend to reject immigration and try to ban history books, restricting what is taught in classrooms. This is a present example of the “Cultural divide”
Part 4 Interpretation
At the beginning of the “Not Like Us” performance, all the dancers scatter around the stage, then just drop to the floor. Now, to many this moment is not severely important because some see no symbolism. But there is possible symbolism. This moment represents innocent victims of possible police brutality and racially targeted violence. Many dancers are lying on the ground, their arms spread and facing upward, as if they were holding their arms up to show innocence before falling (being killed).
As the camera zooms out a little later, the dancers all in rows of red, blue, and white begin running at each other, when they finally make contact we can see multiple of them throwing punches at each other. This is a symbolism of revolution or rebellion coming, with both parties of America becoming more divided.
Extra
During his performance, Kendrick Lamar wears bell bottoms, a style of pants that got popular in the 1970s among the black community. The style got adopted as a way of self expression, symbol of style, and a way to fight societal norms. The pants were worn commonly in shows and movies by black actors, making them a fashion staple for the black community.
Conclusion
Though many people say Kendrick’s Halftime performance was not the best, there is no denying it may have been one of the most symbolic performances in Halftime history. In a time where not only marginalized communities need a voice, but also all of America. Kendrick Lamar truly showed the issues of America’s time.
Sources
https://www.pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/history/the-truth-behind-40-acres-and-a-mule/#:~:text=We’ve%20all%20 heard%20the,generated%20by%20black%20leaders%20themselves.
https://www.cotstyle.com/blogs/cotstyle-fashion/street-fashion-around-the-world-exploring-cultural-influences#:~:text=Street%20style%20originated%20from%20subcultures,attention%20beyond%20their%20local%20communities.
https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/hip-hop-grills-history/
https://vocast.com/streetwear-fashion-x-culture-with-insight-from-london-paris-and-milan#:~:text=Streetwear%20as%20we%20know%20it,young%20skaters%20in%20New%20York.
Trump’s Executive Orders Rolling Back DEI and Accessibility Efforts, Explained
https://www.cnn.com/style/soul-train-black-fashion-music-culture/index.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20fashion%20was%20fly%2C%E2%80%9D,the%20media%20that%20we%20saw.%E2%80%9D
