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As we have seen in every annual Super Bowl performance since the tradition has started, artists present performances that are uplifting, entertaining, and appealing to the media. It is what we expect, so of course when we get something that is the opposite of that, most of us get disappointed and confused. Kendrick Lamar does have many hits, but the majority of his music is more lyrically and poetically developed than other known artists. He creates music for the African American community and the media and the music industry does not acknowledge the message behind his lyrics and especially not his halftime performance. Kendrick Lamar’s performance was not just a performance, it was a statement.
He proposed a message that many of us were not truly listening to or expecting to receive. The stage set up, Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam, the backup dancers wearing the color of the flag, the formation of the backup dancers, all led to the message he is delivering about the country we live in. His performance emphasized the need for unity, the impact of mass incarceration, and the importance of Black culture.
Stage Setup:
Stage Setup:
In the beginning of Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance, the stage was set up as a PlayStation controller. The message that was depicted by this was that the government in America is playing us like a game and the media and the TV is being used to distract us from it. The TV shows, the entertainment we see and propose on social media, commercials, the music, they all distract from the serious issues we are facing in this country. As the backup dancers emerged out of the same car in the beginning of the performance, they all divided up into different groups. Meaning we all come from the same place, we are all human, but at some point in time, we still manage to be segregated from each other. He also used the imagery of the dancers stuck in a prison yard to show that we are all prisoners in this game. At one point during the song “They Not Like Us,” all the dancers did the “Hands Up Don’t Shoot” gesture, but they still got put down.
Uncle Sam:
Uncle Sam:
Samuel L. Jackson portrayed Uncle Sam who is a known figure in America, symbolizing the U.S. Government. At two different points in between Kendrick’s performance, Uncle Sam criticized him for being, “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto” and told him to “tighten up.” This is a clear representation of our African American community being criticized for our culture for centuries and even up until this day. We’re continually stereotyped for our music, our traditions, our innovations, and the entertainment we propose on the media and TV. When Samuel Jackson said in the middle of his performance, “Scorekeeper, deduct one life,” it symbolizes how when we come together as a black community we realize that is the “culture cheat code” and we’re stronger together. When we come to that realization, the government reminds us that we are nothing more than African American individuals and by doing that, a life is taken. For example, when Martin Luther King Jr. went against the U.S government and brought the Black community together, he was shot and killed.
His Statements:
His Statements:
In the beginning of Kendrick Lamar’s performance, he stated, “The revolution about to be televised. You picked the right time but the wrong guy.” This historical context behind that phrase stems from the 1960s and the 1970s when the civil rights movement occurred, political protests, and the counterculture of the time. It conveys that major societal change often occurs outside of mainstream media coverage. This was another way of him trying to relay the message that we are continually distracted by the media. It prevents us from focusing on the change in our country. In the middle of his performance he first stated, “It’s a cultural divide, I’mma get it on the flow.” which explains how not just African Americans are divided, but because of social class and politics we are still not united. When he said he's going to “get it on the flow,” he meant that by performing at the Super Bowl this was going to catch the attention of many people because of how big this event is. Even if people didn’t pay attention during the performance, social media still acknowledged the meaning and symbolism behind his performance and the symbolism of his set up and backup dancers. “40 acres and a mule this is bigger than the music.” This saying reflects on the racial, political, and economic struggles African Americans in this country have faced. Regarding the fact that enslaved African Americans fought in the Civil War, they were promised land when the war ended. In fact, the land still has not been given. We still are criticized and stereotyped even though it may seem as if we are not, people categorize us in all aspects, therefore we are still not equal. And lastly, Kendrick stated, “You can try to rig the game but you can’t fake influence.” The government can try to fool us and brainwash us with social media and the television but there are always going to be people out there who can outsmart the government, like K.Dot himself. As you can see, Kendrick Lamar did not just perform for the entertainment and the acclamation, he did it to open our eyes and to help us look deeper into the surface of the reality we live in.
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