By: Payton Hudson, Contributing Writer
Graphic by Payton Hudson

The Super Bowl is America’s most-watched annual event, and this year was no exception with over 120 million viewers tuning in. Super Bowl 59 was a rematch between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles took home the dub with the final score 40-22, stopping the Chiefs from receiving a historical three-peat win. But it’s not just about football, right? It’s the time for people to go all out: planning parties, wearing their team’s colors, and crafting the ultimate charcuterie board. Though let’s be honest—halftime is the main reason we signed up for Tubi. This year was an incredibly poetic performance by Kendrick Lamar, with special features from SZA and Samuel L. Jackson. 

If you were scrolling through social media during halftime, you probably saw reactions like “Worst halftime show ever” or “I muted the TV,” mostly from older folks on your hometown’s Facebook page. In reality, Lamar, known for his lyricism and visuals, was making a statement and sending a message about race, power and American identity that seemed to go over many people’s heads.

Lamar brings out Grammy award-winning artist and collaborator, SZA, who is actually Drake’s ex-girlfriend. Lamar and Drake have had an ongoing feud for over 10 years, both continually sneaking disses toward each other in their tracks. Not only does he bring out SZA, but he also brings out Olympic Gold medalist, Serena Williams. Like Lamar, Williams is a Compton native, and she is also Drake’s ex-girlfriend.

Serena Williams performed a Crip walk after she defeated Maria Sharapova in the 2012 Summer Olympics gold medal tennis match. This caused a minor controversy, which some saw as outrage towards expressions of Black culture. This year, the same thing happened when Williams Crip walked on stage as a reference to herself, sparking another controversy. 

Each performer wore monochromatic outfits in red, white, or blue, with Lamar dressed all blue. SZA, Serena Williams, and DJ Mustard were also dressed in these colors. At first glance, it was clearly a nod to the American flag. However, those colors take on another meaning. They are a reference to the Bloods and Crips, two of the most famous rival gangs in LA. This is a callback to Lamar’s “The Pop Out” concert in 2024, where he celebrated West Coast hip-hop and unity in rap. During the concert, Lamar had gang members from both sides dancing together on stage during “Not Like Us,” a rare and powerful moment which was last seen in 1996 when Death Row performed “Hit ‘Em Up.”

The show kicks off with Samuel L. Jackson dressed as “Uncle Sam,” who shouts about “the great American game.” Sure, it’s about football, but we see the PlayStation logo on the stage, which shows a bigger point: America IS the game, and we’re all the players. Then Jackson, as “Uncle Sam,” interrupts Lamar’s “Squabble Up,” shouting, “Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto! Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game?” This called out how Black culture in America is often stereotyped and ridiculed, even though Lamar has been trying to change that narrative through his music.

During “HUMBLE.,” Lamar stands in the middle of dancers who form an American flag, symbolizing how divided the country is. Then he performs “DNA.”, “Euphoria,” “Man at the Garden,” and “Peekaboo.” At one point, he teases us with a snippet of “Not Like Us,” saying, “I wanna perform their favorite song, but you know they love to sue,” taking another shot at Drake. These two have had “rap beef” for years, but it seems as though the Internet is deeming Lamar the winner. Drake recently filed a defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group over “Not Like Us.”

Lamar brings out SZA for a performance of “Luther” and “All the Stars.” Afterward, “Uncle Sam” reappears, saying, “That’s what America wants… nice, calm,” which plays into the stereotype of Black culture being “too loud,” or “too ghetto,” whereas these songs can be seen as chill and laid back. His response? “40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music.” This line references a promise made by General William Sherman in 1865 to give freed African Americans land and resources in the south. After President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, President Andrew Johnson gave the land back to the Confederates. Thus, leaving the promise unfulfilled. This is also a call in response to a common theme in his music, especially from his 2015 album “To Pimp a Butterfly,” where he calls for a bigger recognition of what the Black community has contributed to America. 

Finally feeding the crowd what they want, Lamar raps his diss track against Drake, on the biggest televised stage. He went as far as to look directly into the broadcast camera while calling out one of the biggest rappers ever by name. Some would say that Drake even made Lamar who he is. One of the biggest lyrics from the hit is said to be heard around the world: everyone in the stadium and in front of their TV went to yell, “A-minorrrrr,” a direct shot at Drake, who has pedophile allegations. At the end of the performance, the crowd lights read “Game Over,” which not only thematically marks the end of the show but also might be Lamar’s way of saying it to his rapper enemy.