Since the Super Bowl started, there has always been some kind of halftime performance during the game. But, it was not until the 1990s that the halftime show became a cultural statement. Ever since then, there has always been speculation about who will be the halftime performer for the next upcoming Super Bowl.
This year’s halftime show was headlined by rapper Kendrick Lamar, with special guest SZA. He was announced to do the show back in September 2024 when the NFL season started, and many fans since then have tried to guess what songs he would be performing.
Lamar was already having a spectacular 2024 with his hit single “Not Like Us,” a diss track to fellow rapper Drake. This announcement, coupled with the fact that he released a new album titled GNX, proved that Lamar was having an all-time year.
A couple of days before the Super Bowl, Lamar had done an interview with Apple Music, who also sponsored the halftime show. During this interview, he gave insight into what the show was going to be like, and what songs he would perform.
After the show, many fans on social media were vocal about their opinions on the halftime show. Some loved the halftime show and believed that it was done exceptionally well. While others believed that it was boring and too low energy for a Super Bowl halftime show.
Many little details were sprinkled throughout the show that many viewers overlooked. Everything Kendrick Lamar does always has a reason, so this performance is full of references and details that enhance the performance.
Actor and comedian Samuel L. Jackson opens the show dressed as the American symbol Uncle Sam, displaying a Black Uncle Sam. This is especially important as President Donald Trump was in the audience during the game, with many theorizing that this is a jab at him.
Eventually, Kendrick appears sitting on the hood of a 1987 Buick GNX, which is also the car that is on the album cover of his new album, but also the year that Lamar was born. The only movement noticeable is the “a” chain he is wearing, which references A-Minor, a chord but also a jab that Lamar commonly uses against Drake.
Kendrick throughout the entire show wears a dark blue leather jacket that displays the word “Gloria”. This is a reference to the last track on GNX, but also in Spanish meaning Glory.
Samuel Jackson serves an important role in the halftime show, offering commentary against Lamar and symbolizing how the United States looks at African Americans and their kinds of music. He criticizes Lamar during the show, calling the music too “loud” and “ghetto”.
Subsequently, Lamar performs his hit song “HUMBLE.,” with him and his dancers nodding their heads in obedience. Only to show a formation that resembles the American flag.
“Uncle Sam” then interrupts, calling Kendrick a “cultural cheat-code” and deducting one life. This performance also includes many references to video games, with some of the stage platforms representing the buttons on a Playstation controller, and text reading “Game Over” at the end of the show.
Lamar then teases “Not Like Us,” but instead brings out one of Drake’s ex-girlfriends, SZA. After performing the songs “luther” and “All The Stars,” Uncle Sam shows his approval, saying it was “nice and calm” and “that’s what America wants.”
Kendrick then pops back up, saying “40 acres and a mule this is bigger than just the music.” 40 acres and a mule was a plan made by the United States to give freed slaves land, or economic independence.
“Not Like Us” is finally played, with the peak of the halftime show occurring. During this song, world-famous tennis player Serena Williams is shown crip walking to the song. This is significant for two big reasons. One, Williams was one of Drake’s ex-girlfriends and could be seen as another jab at Drake by Lamar. The second reason is that Williams is also from Compton, displaying more West Coast pride than Lamar holds.
Interestingly, one of William’s sisters was killed by a crip member, so many viewers questioned why she performed the crip walk at the Super Bowl. She also did the exact same dance back in 2012 during a tennis match, which was disapproved by many onlookers at the event, just as Kendrick’s performance.
The show concludes with “Tv Off,” with Lamar and the dancers going all around the stage. He then brings out DJ Mustard, the producer for Lamar’s songs “Not Like Us” and “Tv Off.” The final part of the show cuts to Kendrick walking away, with clicking what looks like a TV remote, officially tying the knot of the beef between him and Drake.
