On Sunday February 9, 2025 Kendrick delivered a performance full of political symbolism and historical context while performing some of his most popular songs such as “squabble up”, “HUMBLE.” and “Not Like Us” and bringing out famous artist SZA and former Tennis player Serena Williams to diss on Drake.
Kendrick begins his performance with Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam a powerful iconography of the U.S Government. Uncle Sam is our moderator through the whole performance who introduces us to “the American game” an of how the government is controlling and playing us. Lamar also uses a lot of visual symbolism on his stage to demonstrate the “American game” and how divided the government currently is. His stage is set up as a video game controller where a circle, x, and triangle can be seen in the back supporting the message that the Government is being controlling towards its people but also how people have to be strategic and make the right decision in order to win and survive the game.
Through his performance we can see that most of his back up dancers are dressed in blue, white and red, the colors of the U.S Flag. His dancers formed a flag as he performed “HUMBLE.”. however, the flag is split in half symbolizing how America is currently divided and people are on separate sides due to some people supporting Trump’s current administration plans while others are fighting against them.
In the audience messages like “Stage 1” and “Warning Wrong Way” are formed by lights giving the message that people have chosen the wrong person as president as he is only dividing the country more. He implies that things are only starting and are going to get worse and more difficult by using “Stage 1” with Trump’s and economic decisions impacting Americans.
Kendrick and Uncle Sam throughout the halftime show also make many powerful political statements. One of the first statements that Uncle Sam makes at the beginning of the performance is “Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto” words used to degrade the Black community through the years he later tells Kendrick he need to “tighten up” which can be referred as assimilation for colored people and immigrants to be considered “American enough”. One of the final powerful statements Kendrick makes is “Forty acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music”. “Forty acres and a mule” refers to the emancipation process in the 19th century that was full of broken promises by the government that will continue to happen not only towards Black people to the whole nation continuing ongoing oppression and discrimination. Kendrick Lamar makes clear that his performance was not just about the music but about delivering a message about the U.S Government taking control of the people’s opinions and voices causing the nation to be divided after current president Trump took office.
Lamar’s performance left many people with diverse opinions on his performance as President Trump was present at the Superbowl saying that he delivered a powerful and important message using his musical platform to speak up on current political issues.
However Kendrick couldn’t end his performance without also causing more commotion by performing “Not Like Us” to diss on Drake leaving the Super Bowl audience astonished with all the political symbolism that represents how the people are being put against the U.S Government.
