This is not going to be a breakdown/deep dive of show’s cultural/political statements and hidden meanings (of which there are many). I’m not a critic, just an appreciator. That said…
Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show was a stunning work of art on the world’s biggest stage.
No pyro, no Left Shark, no backing track. Just a 17-time Grammy winning, Pulitzer Prize awarded artist doing what he does best - pure lyricism at the highest level. He censored the swear words with ease, switched up song arrangements, all while leading the choreographed charge up and down the field. To do all that while sounding studio perfect is extremely difficult considering how intricate his lyrics already are. I won’t name names, but most artists opt for a backing track or “play” unplugged instruments. And who could blame them? This is a gig that gets 8 minutes to set up and is seen by a hundred million people. The stakes could not be higher, room for error could not be larger. Forgoing a backing track is tightrope walking without a net.
Most halftime shows are (understandably) a feast for the senses, with surprise guests literally flying in. In 2011, Usher descended from the heavens to join the Black Eyed Peas. Their maximalist approach is what that show needed to be. You can’t perform monster hits like “I Got a Feeling” without having a party on the field.
Rihanna’s show last year was, in my mind, as beautifully minimal as you could get for a Super Bowl halftime show…and even that had floating platforms.
But Kendrick took it to a whole new level. His dancers did more than back him up - they framed him to create living works of art in real time. I couldn’t get enough of it.
Kendrick knows a lot of his lyrics and messages will go over most peoples’ heads, which is par for the course for most “conscious” music (see: Public Enemy, Rage Against the Machine, Run the Jewels). And he also knows EXACTLY what his critics will say. He even gives them a voice, casting Samuel L. Jackson in the stars and stripes as the haters’ surrogate.
But going over peoples’ heads is the point. He disguised a history book’s worth of knowledge in a 12-minute barrage of artistry and lyrical excellence.
There have been so many incredible Super Bowl halftime shows in the past. It seems like they choose performers based on cultural relevance, and with a few exceptions I think they get it right. But this year they really nailed it. Not only is K-Dot one of the most listened to artists in music (not just hip hop), “Not Like Us” is a hit unlike any other chart topper in history. His cultural relevance is unmatched.
“Not Like Us” is a diss record that took down one of the biggest names in music, while earning 5 Grammys. It was such a devastating blow that few people even realized Drake had responded with "The Heart Part 6". The response was panned so hard by critics and audiences, that Drake deleted an Instagram post that promoted it. As of May 2024, the song had 1.5 million dislikes on YouTube, a 50% ratio compared to likes.
Kendrick channeled his hatred for Drake and created an anthem for competition. And isn’t that what all this is about? Leading up to kickoff, Fox played interviews, analysis, and documentaries about what the Super Bowl means to the players on an emotional level.
The Chiefs were on the doorstep of history with a 3-peat.
The Eagles must avenge their 2023 loss to the Chiefs.
Vic Fangio was 0-8 vs Mahomes going into Sunday.
Where does Patrick Mahomes figure into the greatest QB of all time discussion?
Unless you went into this game already a fan of either team, the backstories are EVERYTHING.
And there’s no song with more backstory than “Not Like Us”. Josh Johnson explains it better than I ever could. They should have played this during Sunday’s programming:
I can’t speak to whether or not the rivalry itself is over, but the song itself could not have reached a more fitting crescendo - Super Bowl LIX with Serena Williams crip walking under a lamp post.
I had no idea Williams and Drake have history, but it’s safe to say they’re not on good terms after Drake dissed her husband in 2022. There’s also the fact that she faced a tsunami of criticism when she crip walked after winning the gold medal in the 2012 Olympics. She had this to say at this year’s ESPY Awards:
If I’ve learned anything this year, it’s that none of us, not a single one of us, not even me, should ever pick a fight with Kendrick Lamar,” before dancing to “Not Like Us.” “He will make your hometown not like you. The next time Drake sits courtside at a Raptors game, they’re going to Forrest Gump him. Seats taken.
Like most things about this performance, even the guest appearance of the greatest tennis player of all time has multiple layers.
Kendrick’s last lines delivered diabolically straight to camera: “turn his TV off, turn his TV off!” He pleads for someone, ANYONE to mercifully disconnect Drake from the lyrical destruction that was befalling him.
And then the stadium went dark, with only “GAME OVER” lighting up the seats.
Flawless victory.
If you didn’t know who Kendrick Lamar was before the half time show, you got to know him, intimately. To me, that’s an accomplishment that no single Super Bowl performer has come close to.
Kendrick made this moment more than just playing the hits. He made it more than the spectacle. He made it about the connection.
Taken at face value, this is an American artist celebrating his American roots surrounded by a literal American flag made of (American?) people. But start peeling back the layers and you’ll be treated to commentary on American life and the history of people who helped build this country. You’ll discover why he’s such a celebrated artist. Nothing about the performance was an accident, every element had meaning. Even the street lamps.
I’d be willing to bet that no other Super Bowl performer is ever allowed to do what he did, and that’s a good thing. Because not every artist has a story to tell - sometimes it is just about the pyro.
I’ll leave you with this: T-Pain watching the show. His gamut of emotions are exactly what I experience every time I witness incredible work - amazement, envy, admiration, inspiration.
On a permanent loop in my head: *snaps head directly into camera* SAY DRAKE, I HEAR YOU LIKE THEM YOUNG.
FLAWLESS