I am in no way, shape or form a football fan, but I tune in to Fox each year to watch the halftime show during the Super Bowl. I was so excited to hear that Kendrick Lamar was chosen to host this year’s halftime performance because I knew he would not disappoint. From all the drama that surrounded him and Drake this past year, and building off the momentum of all the Grammys he’d won, I knew he would put on an incredible show. However, this performance was not purely for entertainment. It was a powerful statement with political and cultural significance that I feel went over many people’s heads. It was highly disappointing to see people on the internet bashing his performance saying it was “boring”. In case you were one of the few who completely missed the point of his performance, here is a breakdown of some things you may have missed.

Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam

The performance started off with Jackson dressed up as Uncle Sam, who is a metaphor and personification of the United States government and the people of America. But as Jackson hosted Lamar’s performance, he also took on the role as Uncle Tom. This is a term for Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” and refers to Black Americans who abandon the Black community and willingly submit to white Americans. Jackson tells Lamar after he performs “Squabble up,” a song derived from violence and West Coast culture, that he needs to tighten up. Jackson keeps criticizing Lamar until he eventually brings out SZA to perform “Luther” and “All the Stars,” praising Lamar and saying that is more like it. Since he is representing the American people, he is praising Lamar for singing his more calm and peace of mind hits.  You can also audibly hear the audience become more excited, which was all a part of Lamar’s plan and design to further prove his point.

“The revolution is about to be televised”

The camera panned to Lamar crouched down mumbling a snippet that was never released on his recent album, “GNX.” During this, dancers started to stumble out of the car that he was standing on dressed in red, white and blue hazmat suits. As the anticipation builds, before he transitions into his song “Squabble Up,” he says, “The revolution is about to be televised. You picked the right time but the wrong guy.” This was a line referencing Gil Scott-Heron’s poem, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” and it challenges mainstream media and culture by addressing social and political change. The “wrong guy” may have been directed toward President Donald Trump, who was in attendance.

“40 acres and a mule”

As the performers are dancing, the sound crew keeps teasing the audience by playing a small snippet of the beginning of Lamar’s hit diss track against Drake, “Not Like Us.” This was arguably the most anticipated song of the night because many audience members didn’t think he would perform it, especially with Drake being in attendance. Before the song fully started to play, Lamar said “40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music.” This is a reference to the promise Union General William T. Sherman made to Black Americans after the end of slavery, a promise that was never fulfilled. The mentioning of 40 acres and a mule was to highlight systemic injustice and serves as a powerful symbol of historical and contemporary disenfranchisement. Him also stating “this is bigger than the music” is to further emphasize he is performing with intention and not entertainment value.

Divided flag

There was one point in the performance where the dancers who were dressed in red, white and blue arranged themselves into the shape of the American flag. Then, once the song faded into “Humble,” they split into halves, creating an image of a divided flag. This imagery symbolized the nation’s ongoing social and racial division that is very prominent in today’s society.

I have been a fan of Lamar for years, and as a fan, I know he does everything with a purpose. Many people forget that he won a Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for his artistic depth and intention behind his lyrics and performances. He made a decision to either entertain or educate knowing the power and attention he held, and he did both. This was one of his best shows yet. The symbolism, imagery and powerful visuals that he carried through his whole performance and the hidden messaging were nothing less than genius. There was so much depth and layering in his performance and it will change the trajectory of Super Bowl halftime shows forever.