Category: Opinion
Tags: Halftime, superbowl, kendrick lamar, drake, SZA, dance, performance, music, rap
Hed: What you missed in the Super Bowl Halftime show
The Superbowl may be over, but opinions on the halftime show are not. If you were too distracted by Kendrick Lamar’s Bell bottom jeans, here are some Easter eggs you missed during the performance.
The music:
Kendrick performed 11 songs, with special guest SZA who came out to sing two of her and Kendricks joint songs, “Luther” from his newest album, “GNX” and an all time fan favorite, “All the Stars” from the movie “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” These viral songs were incredible to see performed live, but the most talked about song was “Not Like Us,” which was a diss track on Drake.
The musical war between Drake and Kendrick started in 2013 when Kendrick dissed Drake in his verse on the song “Control” by Big Sean. From this point on, the two have continued their beef into multiple viral songs, the most notable being “Not Like Us.”
“Not Like Us” was definitely the highlight of the performance if you are a Kendrick fan, and the fact that Kendrick said Drake’s name on the Super Bowl stage shows that he’s won their battle. Although their beef is fun to follow, there is a much bigger battle Kendrick is trying to fight throughout his performance.
Uncle Sam:
Samuel L Jackson represented Uncle Sam, the national personification of the United States government, throughout the performance. Wearing a replica of the outfit Uncle Sam wore on the famous “I want you” recruitment poster for the Army, Jackson made numerous features through the performance. The only difference in the outfit is that Jackson had 16 stars on his lapel. In Kendrick’s newly released song “Wacced Out Murals” he says “I done lost plenty friends, 16 to be specific.” It is implied that these 16 stars represent the people Kendrick has lost.
“Salutations. It’s your uncle Sam. And this is the Great American Game,” Jackson said at the beginning of the performance. He is not referring to what game is being played.
Jackson has previously on record spoken negatively about Donald Trump and his administration. There is no coincidence he was picked for this role in helping tell Kendricks’ story.
True Kendrick fans will know that Kendrick has a transgender Uncle that he has spoken about and raps about in his song “Auntie Diaries.” In Drake’s 2024 diss “Family Matters” Drake says “Where’s your uncle at? ‘Cause I wanna talk to the man of the house,” saying that Kendricks’ transgendered uncle is more manly than he is even though he wasn’t born a woman. This was a transphobic comment. The reasoning behind the Uncle Sam character has not been confirmed but relates to Kendrick and his music in many ways.
The Halftime Stage/Choreography:
The stage Kendrick performed on was shaped like a Play station controller, symbolizing that this is in fact a game. The game reference can be in regards to the Super Bowl, his personal issues with Drake or equality.
At the beginning of the performance, Kendrick is seen squatting down on a GNX car, the same car his father brought him home from the hospital with when he was born. Starting off the show this way symbolized Kendricks upbringing and the challenges he faced as a child rather than showing a car that he could afford now or one he owns.
The choreographer of the Super Bowl halftime, Charm La’Donna, tried to bring in elements of the West Coast throughout the performance. The dancers were seen doing signature dance moves, such as krumping to match the message of unequal rights in America.
The performance featured a special guest dancer, Serena Williams, Drake’s ex-girlfriend. The olympic tennis player showed off her West Coast moves to not only get back at Drake but to confront backlash regarding the Crip Walk.
The message:
Kendrick paved a line between performance and advocacy during his Super Bowl halftime show. Using his platform to raise awareness to real life issues, shows that Kendrick’s goals are way bigger than having a bigger fan base than Drake.
The 2025 halftime show left fans asking questions and wanting more.
apnmag.com 