The NFL’s 59th Super Bowl, with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, was hosted in New Orleans on Sunday, February 9th, 2025. The annual event dazzles the public and quite literally puts lives at stake, but hey, it’s just good, all-American fun (unless you are a street light in Philadelphia).
With the halftime show being the highlight of the night for many, mixed opinions about the performance and its impact have already circled around the internet. Grammy-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar, was the lucky artist to perform this year, along with cameos from SZA, Samuel L. Jackson, Serena Williams, and DJ Mustard. Many people have already claimed it was a boring halftime show and an underwhelming performance, and certainly, Kendrick wasn’t rollerblading across the stage in a sparkly blue bodysuit like Usher. The performance however was done with a different, more relevant approach. Regardless of your opinion on the show, it’s important to note the significance and symbolism present in the performance, especially considering the state of the country right now.
1: Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam
The performance begins with Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam, an embodiment of America and often depicted as a white male who represents patriotism and the U.S government. Uncle Sam does not exemplify Black people, despite their contributions to the creation of this country, so having an African American cultural icon in his uniform proves that the show does in fact have a political theme. Having Donald Trump present in the audience also makes this significant as Trump ran his campaign on the supposed values of “white America.” After Kendrick performed his famous song “Squabble Up,” Jackson interjected with the words, “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto,” before being silenced, which was interpreted as a commentary on how Black voices are oftentimes controlled in mainstream spaces and discouraged from self-expression.
2: Dancers
Everyone performing at the halftime show was wearing either white, blue, or red to symbolize the American flag. The dancers created formations that resembled the flag design, and in the performance Kendrick was in the middle of it with the dancers divided in half, suggesting the division of the American people and how, as a nation, we are oftentimes fighting against each other rather than calling out the people in power.
3: “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”
In the beginning of his performance, Kendrick says, “The revolution ‘bout to be televised. You picked the right time, but the wrong guy.” This is a reference of the 1971 poem by Gil Scott-Heron about Black liberation. The Super Bowl is one of the most watched events in America. Using the huge stage to deliver a message was Kendrick’s way of speaking out against the government and state of our country, especially with President Trump in the audience.
Events like these can overshadow the important issues at hand, distracting the public and taking away their attention. Everything in the performance has a meaning, and Kendrick used his opportunity as the performer this year to spread a message instead of ignoring what’s going on.
Kendrick has now taken the record for the most watched performance with 133.5 million views. It is very important right now to stay aware and educated on the current events happening in our country, this performance has made history and should inspire all of us.
