“The revolution will be televised.”
A statement heard live by 126 million people this past Sunday. The most-watched event in the United States, the Super Bowl, aired on Jan. 9, 2025, featuring a halftime performance by Kendrick Lamar. Lamar, who recently added five Grammys to his impressive collection of 20, also received a Pulitzer Prize in 2018. His bold halftime performance seemed to make a statement about the political climate in America, just days after the anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection, with Donald Trump in attendance at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. Let’s unpack the statement Kendrick Lamar was making this weekend.
Kendrick Lamar fearlessly opens with the image of Uncle Sam, played by Samuel L. Jackson, and welcomes us to the “American game.”
Uncle Sam is often seen as a symbol of the American government, making it a bold statement when he later tells Lamar that he is “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto.” The term “ghetto” has historically been racially charged and insensitive, making this word choice a direct commentary on how the American government views Black culture.
The Black dancers were dressed in red, white, and blue, accessorized with du-rags, grills and mouth coverings- the physical embodiment of America silencing Black voices. Together, they form an American flag, with Lamar standing between them. The divided American flag is daringly displayed to the world during his hit-song “HUMBLE,” symbolizing the division in this nation, both in the past and the present. This image of the American flag is one of the most striking moments of the halftime show. The dancers raise their fists while standing on the 50-yard line in flag formation at Super Bowl LIX. In the post-Colin Kaepernick NFL world, where does the Black community stand?
Kendrick Lamar stands proud as he declares, “40 Acres and a Mule, this is bigger than the music.” ‘40 Acres and a Mule’ is an ode to the unkept promise of reparations to former freed slaves. For Lamar, this performance is bigger than the music—it speaks to him and to the United States during this intense time of political adversity. You can view this halftime performance in several ways, but it’s clear that Lamar is making a statement. Lamar says, “They tried to rig the game, but you can’t fake influence”- and he was not referencing the referees.
The arts desk can be reached at arts@ubspectrum.com
