African-American rapper Kendrick Lamar shocked thousands with his influential Super Bowl halftime show performance on Sunday.
“The revolution about to be televised,” said Lamar, who is from Compton. “You picked the right time but the wrong guy.”
Lamar set the stage with The Great American Game, with actor Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam. Using various metaphors, Lamar recounts black American’s struggles. For example, Uncle Sam was used to represent the United States of America, judging the culture of black communities.
“No, no, no, no, no, too loud, too reckless, too ghetto,” Uncle Sam said. “Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game?”
Lamar’s stage was a video game controller, with level one of the game starting in a square. Standing on the square, he opens up with the hit song “Humble.” Dancers in red, white and blue outfits created the American flag as they danced along to the song. During the song, the flag was split in half representing how there is a divide within the American culture. Following “Humble,” Lamar performed “DNA” while transitioning to level two of the game controller. While performing this song, Lamar was able to grasp the emotion of his metaphors by using a “culture cheat code.”
“Oh, I see you brought your homeboys with you,” Uncle Sam said. “The old culture cheat code, Scorekeeper deduct one life.”
Lamar moves to the X on the controller, rapping “Squabble up.” In level two, SZA joins the performance. She performed waiting for Lamar to join her in the song “Luther.” The duo then performed “All The Stars,” which was featured in the movie “Black Panther” in 2018. Uncle Sam congratulates Lamar for understanding the game and being calmer rather than reckless and ghetto.
“It’s a cultural divide,” Lamar said. “Imma get it on the floor, 40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music. Yeah, they tried to rig the game but you can’t fake influence.”
Lamar’s display of inequalities, both racially and politically, brought light to the significance of issues that are occurring today. He ended the show with “Not Like Us,” bringing out Serena Williams to crip-walk on Drake’s metaphorical grave. The two rappers have been “beefing” with each other for the past year. “Game Over” flashed on the screens as Lamar closed the show out with “Turn The TV Off.”
