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Kendrick Lamar televised ‘the revolution’ during Super Bowl halftime performance. Here’s what it meant

BBG News

Perched on a Buick GNX, rapper Kendrick Lamar declared, “A revolution is about to air on TV. You’ve chosen an opportune moment, but the wrong person.

Lamar creatively used his 13-minute Super Bowl halftime show to narrate an original tale, reflective of the American experience, subtly criticizing President Trump and playfully taking jabs at fellow artist Drake.

Following his triumphant win at the recent Grammys, the Compton rapper, aged 37, has sparked numerous discussions and analyses about his performance that paid tribute to Black culture. Clad in red, white, and blue, his dancers formed a symbolic divided American flag with him at its heart. While his narrative was subtly expressed, it held significant power.

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Instead of spending most of his 13-minute stage time at the New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome contemplating if he would sing his 2024 hit song featuring Drake, the rapper from Compton played coy with the possibility.

In the heart of New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome, Samuel L. Jackson donned an Uncle Sam costume, complete with a star-spangled top hat, to address the enthusiastic crowd about “the grand spectacle of American football.” Leading the audience through halftime festivities, he made lively comments such as “Too boisterous, too rowdy, too streetwise” following Lamar’s performance of “Squabble Up.” When SZA and longtime collaborator Kendrick Lamar took to the stage for a rendition of “Luther” and “All the Stars,” the acclaimed actor shouted out, “That’s what America desires! Peaceful and serene.” Jackson’s performance and commentary invoked comparisons to his Uncle Tom role in Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained,” where he portrayed Stephen, a devoted house slave.

During the entire performance, Lamar hinted at whether he would sing the potential Drake diss track and LA anthem titled “Not Like Us”. He mentioned that he wanted to play their favorite song but knew they enjoy filing lawsuits, alluding to Drake’s defamation lawsuit. As the familiar tune played, Lamar subtly smiled while rapping, “Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young,” leaving the audience to complete the sentence, labeling him as a “known pedophile.

Music icon Flavor Flav, along with other celebrities, expressed admiration for a remarkable performance on social media platform X. He commented, “The entire stadium collectively cheered ‘A MINOOOOOOOOOORRRRR.’ ” Ab-Soul, under the label Top Dawg Entertainment spearheaded by Kendrick Lamar, also posted on X, “As big as the Super Bowl,” referencing Drake’s “First Person Shooter” – a track that sparked a feud between the artists. Doechii, fresh from winning top rap album at the Grammys, congratulated SZA and Kendrick, expressing, “So proud of you both, so inspired.

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In a previous ceremony, Kendrick Lamar’s track ‘Not Like Us’ bagged several Grammy Awards, and it was also recognized as both Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

During the rendition of “Not Like Us,” the camera switched to reveal tennis legend Serena Williams, dancing a crip walk. Previously criticized for doing this dance in 2012 after her Olympic victory, she reintroduced it to the spotlight during the event. Serena Williams is from Compton and was once linked romantically with Drake in the early 2010s. Following years of speculation about Drake’s lyrics aimed at her in songs like “Worst Behavior” and “Nothings Into Somethings,” she seized the chance to share a stage with his main rival.

At the end of the broadcast, Lamar concluded with a powerful rendition of “TV Off.” Accompanied by his collaborator DJ Mustard, this marked a significant return to the roots as he urged the audience to disengage from distractions and pay attention to the world happening around them.

Mike Carson, one of the co-creative directors and production designers for the halftime show, shared with Wired that the stage was designed with a video game theme. The performance area was shaped like Xs, Os, and triangles, similar to PlayStation controller buttons. To wrap up the performance, the words “GAME OVER” were spelled out in the audience, a nod to both the game and his ongoing feud with Drake.

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2025-02-11 04:01

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