One of the most awaited parts of each year’s Super Bowl is the halftime show. This year was no different. Super Bowl LIX’s performance was headlined by Kendrick Lamar, featuring guest performer SZA. The show brought in a reported 133.5 million viewers, the most ever for a Super Bowl halftime. Despite its success, the show strayed from the typical formula. Most artists use the halftime show as a stage to display their most popular and loved songs. While Kendrick’s performance was certainly not devoid of hits, featuring songs such as ‘DNA.’, ‘Humble’, and ‘Not Like Us’, it is clear the rapper had other motives in the writing of his show. Kendrick Lamar is known for the conscious nature of his music and the storytelling elements it often entails. His 2017 album, DAMN., was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for its excellence in storytelling and its ability to capture the complexities of life. The L.A. based rapper uses his music and his platform to tell a story and raise awareness to current issues. This is perfectly exemplified in his halftime show. Even with a mere 13 minutes of runtime, he managed to completely fill the performance with imagery, symbolism, and societal commentary.
When asked what viewers could expect from his performance, Lamar answered, “Storytelling. I think I’ve always been very open about storytelling through all my catalog and my history of music. And I’ve always had a passion about bringing that on whatever stage I’m on.” The main story of the show is presented directly, through what is called the Great American Game. In this ‘game’, Uncle Sam, played by Samuel L. Jackson, serves as the antagonist and calls out Kendrick and his music for being “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto.” The Great American Game is a representation of Kendrick, and other artists, chasing the American dream. Uncle Sam illustrates how the American public responds to hip-hop and rap in general. Kendrick is defying the rules of the game and receiving backlash for it.
In addition to the overarching theme of the show, there are multitudes of thematic imagery present throughout the performance. One scene shows the backup dancers making up the American flag. This scene alone is home to countless layers of symbolism. Foremost, it is noticeable that the flag is split down the middle. This is a direct call to the division and polarity present in American society. This theme is further seen when the people making up the flag separate and collapse. Additionally, the flag is exclusively made up of black dancers. Many fans have speculated that Lamar is pointing out how America is built on the black community. This theme continues throughout the rest of the show and can be directly tied back to the Great American Game.
