Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that the much-awaited Kendrick Lamar Halftime show happened this Sunday; and just like you, we can’t stop talking about it. This record-breaking performance starring Lamar–the first-ever rapper soloing the Halftime show in Super Bowl History–was a head-turner with all of its hidden symbolism featured throughout the production. His performance included popular tracks such as “HUMBLE”, “Not Like Us”, and “All the Stars,” featuring SZA. With President Trump in attendance during the anticipated Eagles vs. Chiefs game, this political commentary was especially riveting. The controversial performance was an unexpected yet interesting use of Lamar’s platform to bring awareness to America’s political corruption. 

1.) You Picked the Wrong Guy

Lamar begins his performance on a PlayStation controller-shaped stage, chanting “The revolution’s about to be televised. You picked the right time, but the wrong guy.” This was an especially fascinating choice of words as President Trump was in the audience during the show, insinuating that the people of America voted for the wrong president and put the wrong person in power during a time of real change. Lamar references a famous quote from Gil Scott-Heron, “The Revolution will not be televised,” which is often used by activists to imply that the media will not represent everyone’s voices equally. Lamar not only uses this metaphor to diss Trump but as a loud statement that he will no longer be silenced; that now is the time for change.

2.) Uncle Sam

 Samuel L. Jackson–known for his role as Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe–made a cameo during the show as an annoyed Uncle Sam expressing his irritation on multiple occasions throughout the performance. Jackson started the performance by explaining the rules of the “American Game,” while Lamar moved around the controller-shaped stage throughout the performance. During “Squabble Up,” he calls the song “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto” and asks Lamar if he “really [knows] how to play the game.” Historically, Uncle Sam has been the embodiment of America, frequently used to represent American ideals in political cartoons. Uncle Sam calling the song “ghetto” was a strategic move made by Lamar to critique America’s view on Black culture, emphasizing the racism that continues to infect the government and the silencing of art due to racist beliefs.

3.) Serena Williams

During “Not Like Us,” Drake’s ex and star tennis player, Serena Williams, makes an appearance doing the Crip Walk, often criticized by the public for being a dance associated with gang violence. However, this dance was eventually adapted into hip-hop culture and has become a symbol of Black music. When Williams danced similarly to the Crip Walk as a celebration of her 2012 Wimbledon victory, she was shamed by critics due to racist stigma even though she stated it was “just a dance,” not anything to do with the Crip gang. By including this dance in Lamar’s performance, Lamar essentially gives a big “screw you” to American society for taking away freedom of expression in black entertainment.

4.) The Flag

One of the most iconic parts of Lamar’s performance was during “HUMBLE” when he stood in the center of an American flag formed by his background dancers. What was so intriguing about this flag was how it was formed; it started with the background dancers leaving a car separated and eventually coming together to form the national flag. Lamar was emphasizing the importance of unity if the US ever wants to bring change. With the dancers originally being separated, their coming together to form the US flag was extremely significant to Lamar’s message, representing the large political divide in America that has caused disunity and unmatched hatred. The background dancers who created the flag formation all being black was crucial to Lamar’s symbol; it represented how black labor was the backbone of the economic prosperity of the US and how the US would essentially be nothing without African-Americans.

5.) The Inner Circle

The inner circle left standing at the end of “HUMBLE” while all of the other dancers were “shot” down can be interpreted in many ways. But with mainly political messages in Lamar’s performance, many assume that this circle likely had political connotations. The circle only containing dancers dressed in white was a message about racism once again and the ever-present wealth gap in America, demonstrating that the only people who will survive this corruption are the rich white men in that political inner circle.

6.) 40 Acres and a Mule

40 acres and a mule was an important promise made to African-American slaves during the Reconstruction Era after the Union won the Civil War. The promise was to provide land and resources to former slaves to help them become financially self-sufficient; a promise that was never fulfilled and continues to be a hot topic in political debates about reparations. Lamar references this promise in many of his tracks, most prominently in “Wesley’s Theory,” and continued to do so during his Halftime performance. When Lamar spoke with his dancers on stage, he told them “40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music…you know they tried to rig the game but you can’t fake influence.” Lamar is telling the stadium in no uncertain terms that his performance is more than just a form of entertainment; it is a political commentary that speaks to the social and political injustices the Black community faces daily. 

Lamar ends the show with a large display of lights in the crowd stating “Game Over,” and though the show had its grand finale on Sunday, this topic shouldn’t be finished there. Even a week after Lamar’s performance, it is still making its rounds in the media, including on FOX News and Entertainment Weekly. Fans refuse to let the conversation die down, continuing to analyze Lamar’s show-stopping performance. Lamar’s performance is a wake-up call to all Americans for the political injustice that we face daily; and whether the performance resonated with you or not, Lamar left a lasting impact on the American public. We all have a voice that needs to be heard; Lamar tells us not to let it be silenced.