Compton-based rapper and visionary Kendrick Lamar stole the spotlight at last night’s Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show, held on Sunday, February 9, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. In the midst of a lopsided game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, Lamar delivered the excitement and “storytelling” he had been hinting at in the weeks leading up to his highly anticipated performance.
Speculations by reporters and other news outlets were circulating about whether Lamar would perform his hit “Not Like Us,” or bring out special guests to captivate the massive audience. However, true to his style — and his history of unforgettable live televised appearances — Lamar once again proved that he knows how to keep fans on their toes. Truth be told, it felt bigger than the Super Bowl itself.
UNCLE SAM, PRESIDENT TRUMP, AND AMERICA
“The revolution is about to be televised. You picked the right time, but you picked the wrong guy,” Lamar declared as he opened the show with “Wacced Out Murals” — even with President Donald Trump in attendance. Samuel L. Jackson, introduced as Uncle Sam, set the stage for the performance.
Throughout the act, Uncle Sam shadowed Lamar, dictating his choices and attempting to control his free will. He instructed Lamar on which songs to perform, implying the American audience wouldn’t tolerate anything “reckless,” “too loud,” or “too ghetto,” while urging him to “tighten up.” From the GNX car to the dancers clad in American flag-inspired attire, Lamar’s performance was a call for unity, all while teasing the possibility of playing “Not Like Us,” joking that it was the kind of song that could land him in legal trouble.
Lamar moved across multiple stages, each representing a different chapter of his setlist, with Uncle Sam closely monitoring his every move. R&B singer and longtime collaborator SZA joined him for renditions of Luther and All the Stars, earning Uncle Sam’s approval until Lamar began rapping taunting lines like, “They try to rig the game, but you can’t fake influence.” The tension built until the moment everyone was waiting for.
EASTER EGGS IN “NOT LIKE US”
Unlike the lackluster performance of the Kansas City Chiefs, Lamar was all in on the Canadian rapper Drake, who he disses in the Grammy-winning song, “Not Like Us.” Clad in jeans and wearing a lowercase “A” or “a minor” necklace — perhaps another dig at Drake — Lamarlocked eyes with the camera and name-dropped his nemesis. The entire crowd in New Orleans erupted, chanting “a minor” in unison. With “a minor” flags waving and with the production design of the streets brought to the football field, tennis player Serena Williams, reportedly the ex-girlfriend of Drake, added insult to injury by effortless crip walking by the streetlight — a nod to Compton hip-hop culture.
This then brought the Los Angeles-based producer DJ Mustard out to dance alongside Lamar in the track, “tv off”. “Mustard!” chants went off, and it was the impact that DJ Mustard created in the hip-hop scene for over a decade that echoed in the halls of the superdome.
The stage lights dimmed, leaving only the words “Game Over” illuminated. This final act left viewers wondering: Was it a signal of Drake’s career reaching its endgame, or simply the conclusion of Lamar’s groundbreaking performance? Either way, this was Lamar at his absolute best — and we were lucky enough to witness it.
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