As the Philadelphia Eagles celebrated their exciting triumph over the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend during Super Bowl LIX, the big game had more to it than this year’s winner. A symbolic halftime performance by five-time Grammy winner Kendrick Lamar and singer-songwriter SZA sent a powerful message to Americans as they performed some of their hit songs together.
To start his performance, Kendrick Lamar sang “Squabble Up,” “Humble,” and “DNA.” Lamar played five songs from his latest album, “GNX,” released in November 2024. Then, SZA took the stage with Lamar to sing “Luther” and the popular “All the Stars.” To many people’s surprise, he ended his show-stopping performance by closing with “Not Like Us,” a diss track aimed at Drake that took the internet by storm in 2024. Surprisingly, Serena Williams, 23-time Grand Slam champion and Drake’s ex-girlfriend showed up just in time for Kendrick to perform “Not Like Us”.
Junior Sojin Tran shared her thoughts on the Super Bowl halftime show.
“I only watched the halftime show and didn’t know Kendrick Lamar would be performing,” Tran said. “But to my surprise, it wasn’t bad. I think it was pretty good.”
Tran, a dancer, said the background performers caught most of her attention.
“Honestly, I was surprised when SZA came out, but I feel like her spotlight should have been way longer,” Tran said. “‘Not Like Us was a fun song, though, even though Kendrick Lamar held back.”
Undeniably, political symbolism was abundant in Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance. America’s power over its citizens was symbolized through Samuel L. Jackson’s portrayal of Uncle Sam, who tried to suppress Lamar because he was “too ghetto.” Lamar’s standing at the center of a divided American flag brought attention to the nation’s persistent political and racial conflicts. Later, the crowd’s message, “Warning Wrong Way,” implied that America is moving in the wrong direction, and the final “Game Over” sign could be seen as a remark about his conflict with Drake and the end of the performance.
Overall, Lamar’s performance took on a unique approach to presenting his thoughts through vivid imagery and symbolism, leaving a lasting impact on viewers.
