Tegan Wusthoff ‘26, Photo Editor
During the Super Bowl LIX halftime show, rapper Kendrick Lamar made a special appearance performing with famous names such as Samual Jackson, Serena Williams, and SZA. On the surface level it seems like a normal halftime show with a famous artist coming out and doing a spectacular performance. However, during Lamar’s act, there seemed to be a deeper message that he was trying to convey.
First off Jackson, who seems to represent the elite of America and capitalism as ‘Uncle Sam,’comes out as a grid lights up on the ground mimicking the visual of a game controller as he calls the show the “Great American game.” This tells us that the leadership in this country kind of treats things like a game, a common theme throughout the show.
Lamar then says his famous line from the event: “The revolution ‘bout to be televised you picked the right time but the wrong guy.” As he performs, backup dancers wearing red, white, and blue come out and represent the American people. When Jackson interrupts the performance telling Lamar to “tighten up.” The dancers and Lamar form an American flag split down the middle, symbolizing how America is currently split by political ideologies. At one point the back up dancers in red and blue fall to the ground leaving the dancers in white still up and dancing. This tries to convey how people of color have less opportunities and are more discriminated against as opposed to white people.
After going through a few songs, and Jackson still heckling Lamar for his rebellious behavior, Lamar teases his single “Not Like Us,” where he says another famous line from the show “40 acres and a mule this is bigger than the music”—a callback to how enslaved African Americans were promised land and resources after the Civil War. Most African Americans did not receive the land. After that cold line Lamar started “Not Like Us,” A song known well by many for the controversy it caused with the famous rapper Drake. Despite the current lawsuit against Lamar for exposing certain information about Drake, Lamar still performed the song. Kendrick performed this song not to call out Drake, but to call out flaws in the American system. The content itself being about Drake and using its vulgar nature to address the government ‘elites.’
He then ended his performance with the song “tv off,” where he was addressing the citizens of America to stop being blinded by the distractions around them and stand up and do something about the injustice in their country. The message displayed “game over” appeared in the lights in the audience and the act ended.
Lamar’s performance was very much addressing and critiquing the American political system and how it upholds the elite while leaving the commonwealth to themselves. It also contained a common theme of deep seated racism in the American government and addressed it well. Of course, at the end Lamar told people that they need to turn that TV off and stand up to fight for what they believe in.
Lyon Life 