A few weeks ago, Kendrick Lamar took the world by storm with his long-anticipated halftime performance of the Superbowl. Siya Batra (11) described it as “even more lively than [she] expected, with lots of powerful visuals and a strong message”.  While he has received significant attention over the past year for his infamous feud with Canadian rapper Drake, he has always been under the spotlight. His show was more than just a stage to diss Drake; it was a place to highlight the struggles and resilience of African Americans.

This show was filled with symbolism connected to Black culture and history. It is important to note that these carefully constructed symbols aren’t new to Lamar’s career; in fact, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2018 for his album DAMN. It earned the award for its creative lyrics that explored the themes of racial injustice and identity while turning music into a form of storytelling. This was a historic moment for hip-hop, proving the genre’s place in music and art.

Lamar’s performance was more than just a concert; it was a statement. Through subtle comments, stage design, and choreography, Lamar paid homage to the history of African Americans. While it may not have been apparent at first, social media began buzzing about hidden easter eggs within the performance, which opened the eyes of many viewers. Suhani Desai (12) was one of those viewers; she shared, “When I first saw the halftime show, I didn’t immediately notice the hidden messages in the performance. However, after a few days, I started to notice the deeper meaning behind the performance. Lamar is very creative in his lyricism and subtle messages about American society within his performance”.

His song selections were strategic as a lot of them, especially from the album DAMN, include deeper themes of racial injustice and systematic oppression. During the performance, he says, “40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music”. For the history folks, you may be familiar with this quote as it is the broken promise given to formerly enslaved African Americans that they would receive land after the Civil War. Lamar uses this phrase to represent the oppression that African Americans still face in society today, and he uses his music as an outlet to express this. His dancers were also dressed in red, white, and blue, the American flag’s colors. During his “Humble” performance, the dancers formed the American flag; however, it was split in half with Lamar in the middle. Many viewers believe that the rapper was commenting on how America is divided through race or possibly alluding to segregation in American history. His performance also included the infamous Uncle Sam, who told him he was “too loud, too ghetto.” This ultimately reveals American expectations and stereotypes of African Americans. Lamar has been criticized for not being “proper enough” in his actions. Lamar’s performance had many interpretations and hidden gems to reference the unity and strength of Black movements in the history of America.

Lamar’s performance, which took place during Black History Month, was a tribute to past and present America. By using hip-hop as a platform to speak about Black culture, he pushes for conversations about equality and justice. He honored black history at one of the most significant events for American culture to ensure that millions would see his message.