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The Eagles were not the only winners at the Super Bowl tonight as Kendrick Lamar took another gem to his already crowded crown during the Super Bowl LIX Halftime show. As if winning five Grammys for a single song (that was a diss track) was not enough, he got the whole stadium chanting ‘A minorrrr’ as he finally playedNot Like Us.
While the performance was filled with subtle jabs at Drake, Lamar did bring back regular programming and added satirical takes on the current state of affairs in the country. With Donald Trump in attendance and actor Samuel L. Jackson making an appearance as Uncle Sam, Lamar’s performance was more political than one had expected.
Kendrick Lamar uses the Super Bowl 59 stage for a politically charged performance
WhileKendrick Lamarhas been feuding with rapper Drake for the past year and has emerged as the winner, his messaging has always been political. His lyrics have spoken about the Black experience in America and his 2015 songAlrightbecame an anthem for the Black Lives Matter movement.
Kendrick Lamar’s Halftime Show Review: It’s Obvious Nobody Can Beat the Best Super Bowl Halftime Show of All Time
Due to the past year, fans expected him tobring up the Drake beefand perform his five-time Grammy-winning singleNot Like Usat the Super Bowl Halftime show. While he delivered on that front, the rest of the setlist and the imagery were political and went back to Lamar’s criticism of the excess and duality in America’s culture.
From the background dancers wearing red, blue, and white colors to them forming a disjointed American flag, what made the symbolism all the more ballsy was PresidentDonald Trump’sappearance at the event. Trump is the first sitting US President to attend the Super Bowl. Fans were ecstatic to point out Lamar’s protest in front of Trump.
“Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto"“Uncle Sam” representing those who tell the Black community how to behave. The dancers forming a disconnected American flag.The imagery. The cultural significance & relevance. An absolute work of art here.Kendrick Lamar, man.#SuperBowlpic.twitter.com/boVzDd1Wjv
Kendrick literally protested, and taunted America in front of the president during America’s biggest sports event. Chefs kiss.pic.twitter.com/5xmcQsIuuu
His ability to share a message on such a huge platform through art, imagery and music is unmatched. I’ll say it again, but he won a Pulitzer for a reason.No matter what you think about this show, about Kendrick’s music, whatever, nobody can deny just how smart he is.
Donald Trump is forced to watch Samuel L Jackson, dressed as Uncle Sam, introduce Kendrick Lamar at the super bowl half time show after asking the NFL to not show the “End Racism” In the End Zones is the Headline.#SuperBowlpic.twitter.com/OvWdWxawcd
Kendrick reminding us that Black culture is the heartbeat of America. Happy Black History Month!#SuperBowl#KendrickBowlpic.twitter.com/VpCO28IHMA
GAME. OVER. 🎤#SuperBowlpic.twitter.com/8wQGDGC324
The Pulitzer Prize-winning artist has always been political in his songs and has used the platform he was given to express his frustrations about America.
From Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam to a disconnected American Flag, Kendrick Lamar goes beyond Drake at the Super Bowl
From hisTo Pimp a Butterflydays, Kendrick Lamar has found a way to satirize American culture with all its dualities and hypocrisies. This week’s Super Bowl 59 Halftime show was no less, with the performance beginning with actorSamuel L. Jackson entering the stagein an Uncle Sam (because he is Samuel, geddit?) costume and becoming the jester (viaBBC).
Jackson vocalizes America’s obsession with drama and beef, which Kendrick Lamar has been involved in for the past year. Lamar used his own hitNot Like Usand the narrative around it to criticize the country’s precedence to drama over actual issues. ‘Give the people what they want,’ says Uncle Sam and Lamar tries a balancing act.
“That man is the definition of chaotic good”: Kendrick Lamar Avenged Serena Williams at Super Bowl 2025 After Drake Threw Shots at Her for Years
However, he does not let go of the opportunity of being on one of the biggest stages in the nation to criticize its most controversial President. Referring to the historic and unfulfilled promise of giving ‘40 acres and a mule’ to the freed slaves in the aftermath of the Civil War (viaPBS), Lamar used the stage to say that his performance was bigger than the beef and the music. He said,
40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music.
With background dancers forming a disconnected red, blue, and white flag, Lamar used the garb of his biggest hits to probably protest the man in charge at the most tumultuous times in recent history.
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2415
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
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