Special Poll
Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance has been gaining traction even after the big game, racking up over 11 million additional views since it aired on Sunday night.
Lamar, a Pulitzer Prize-winning artist known for his powerful storytelling, crafted a performance at the Caesars Superdome that highlighted themes of race, history, and political tension in America. While the crowd in New Orleans enthusiastically rapped along to hits like Humble and his Grammy-winning diss track Not Like Us, the show was layered with deep symbolism—some of which included subtle but pointed jabs at President Donald Trump.
Here are six hidden messages from the performance:
1. Uncle Sam or Uncle Tom?
Lamar’s performance began with a surprise appearance from acclaimed actor Samuel L. Jackson, who wore a red, white, and blue suit with a top hat—an unmistakable nod to Uncle Sam, the iconic figure of American patriotism. But Jackson’s role quickly shifted from Uncle Sam to a different kind of “uncle”—an Uncle Tom.
The term, originating from Uncle Tom’s Cabin, is often used to describe Black individuals accused of being overly submissive to white culture. Jackson, who previously played a similar character in Django Unchained, voiced criticism of Lamar within the performance, calling him “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto”—phrases often used to stereotype Black culture and hip-hop music.
2. A Direct Jab at Trump?
Lamar referenced “the revolution” in his performance, declaring, “The revolution is about to be televised; You picked the right time but the wrong guy.”
This line alludes to Gil Scott-Heron’s famous poem, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, which argues that true social change comes from the people, not the media or corporate interests. However, some viewers took Lamar’s “wrong guy” comment as a direct swipe at Donald Trump, who was in attendance that night.
Lamar has been openly critical of Trump in the past, particularly in songs like The Heart Part 4 and XXX., making it likely that this was yet another dig at the President.
3. Mass Incarceration Symbolism
Lamar’s stage design made a bold statement. As he and his all-Black dance team performed, it became evident that they were in a prison yard setting. The imagery was a pointed reference to the issue of mass incarceration in America, which disproportionately affects Black communities.
Though Lamar himself has never been incarcerated, his music frequently addresses the criminal justice system and its impact on Black Americans. His Grammy performance in 2016 had a similar theme, with him dressed in a prison uniform, leading a chain gang of dancers across the stage.
4. A Divided American Flag
Lamar’s backup dancers were clad in red, white, and blue, but their formation carried deeper meaning. During his performance of Humble, the dancers arranged themselves to form an American flag, only to break apart into separate groups.
Many interpreted this as a statement on how America was built on the backs of Black Americans through slavery. The divided flag also seemed to represent the growing cultural and political divisions in the country—a theme Lamar directly references in his lyrics: “It’s a cultural divide.”
5. The Promise of Reparations
Ahead of his highly anticipated performance of Not Like Us, Lamar shouted to the crowd, “40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music.”
This was a direct reference to the unfulfilled promise made to freed slaves after the Civil War. In 1865, Union General William T. Sherman’s Special Field Order No. 15 promised 40 acres of land to formerly enslaved Black Americans, a pledge that was never honored.
By bringing this up in such a high-profile setting, Lamar reignited the conversation around reparations—something that remains a hot-button political issue today.
6. Serena Williams’ Statement—And a Diss to Drake
Another major surprise of the night was the appearance of tennis legend Serena Williams, who took the stage to dance alongside Lamar’s performers.
Williams’ presence was widely seen as a direct diss to rapper Drake, her ex-boyfriend and the target of Not Like Us. But there was more to her dance than just that—she performed a crip walk, a style of dance linked to the Crips, a predominantly Black gang from Southern California.
Williams, like Lamar, hails from Compton, a city deeply connected to hip-hop culture. However, her dance also recalled a controversial moment from her 2012 Olympic victory, where critics labeled her celebratory crip walk “tasteless” and accused her of glorifying gang culture.
A Performance with a Political Edge
Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl show wasn’t just about entertainment—it was filled with strong messages about race, history, and America’s cultural struggles. Whether it was a critique of mass incarceration, a call for reparations, or a direct shot at Donald Trump, the performance left no doubt that Lamar was using his platform to send a message.
For those who watched closely, it was a performance filled with layers of meaning—some subtle, some unmistakably bold.