Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Performance Explained

A short primer on the 2025 NFL Super Bowl Half Time Show for People who didn't understand it.

In case you want a bit of an awareness to what you were watching on TV last night during the SuperBowl. Since much of the imagery and the context surrounding the experience of Black people in the country is not part of your normal awareness, it was shared to you and received in boredom and discomfort, likely disgust.

Sometimes, we have to sit in our discomfort and ask ourselves if there is something to learn or take away. Sometimes, we just have to open our eyes to see what our neighbor is trying to communicate with us.

For those willing to understand the imagery and music performed last night, have a short read. If you want a deeper analysis, ask me to hold a community discussion about it below.
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At the Super Bowl, the biggest protest ever took place on stage. Some people complained that it was boring or trash because they did not understand it.

In context, there has been a Cultural feud between rappers, Kendrick Lamar, who performed, and Drake. The beef went "Beyond Hip Hop", and for many of us represents a fork in the road moment. From a socio-political perspective we are in need of a deeper conversation about our community, and unfortunately the music and entertainment industry is pumping us fill of cultural contamination. You are what you consume, and Drake's music as well as other entertainment pushed by the media is harmful to Black Futures, and that of America. Kendrick's performance was a masterpiece in visual symbolism and sparks of revolution in the mindset of Black America, well - stoking the flames a bit. You were just a witness to things happening in the greater community for years.

Here’s what really happened:

📤 The Message and the Imagery -

The performance showed that Black people have always been here to entertain, even when the powerful—those “not like us”—try to control the story.

There has been a major internal cultural war and shift in black america. We now recognize the control mechanisms in culture and entertainment that control us, and so do the entertainers themselves. Instead of letting a figure like Lil' Wayne lead, Kendrick sent a strong message on his own.

The show began with an image of the American flag made of Black people. This powerful picture reminds us that America was built on the hard work of Black people.

💬 What It Was Really About -

This was not a performance made for white people. It was a criticism of the media and record labels that try to divide us.

‼️ Breaking Down the Symbols -

Samuel L. Jackson explained the “rules” of historical white America. He pointed out that when Black people hang out together on the street, some people say it is “too deep,” and then they stir up trouble that sometimes leads to violence.

The performance then used “Squid Game” imagery. This represents how the rich sometimes harm the poor for their own entertainment. It reminds us of how feuds between rappers can lead to deaths that the media benefits from.

The lyrics from the feud engage the imagery, suggesting that the system lets Drake promote an artist named Sexxxy Redd, who is seen as harming our culture. Dancers wearing red, white, and blue (like the American flag) showed that many people would rather dance and be entertained than learn or think deeply.

❤️‍🔥 More Powerful Symbols

The main stage looked like a PlayStation with a Squid Game card, and the setting was a prison yard. This was meant to show that the system is like a game designed to keep us trapped and dancing instead of thinking for ourselves.

Kendrick also paid tribute to Black women—like Serena Williams—after Drake disrespected them. He made it clear that figures like Drake are not truly part of our culture; they are used by the system to create division. His call was: “Game Over. TV Off. We have been under their control. It’s time for a revolution.”

🎇The Big Picture

Drake is being used by the system—the same system Malcolm X warned us about—where powerful media executives try to divide us. This performance is about more than just rap. It is a wake-up call for anyone who is tired of being divided. Look at the split American flag in the imagery—it shows how our country is divided.

If you did not understand the performance, it might be because the system has worked on you. Kendrick is one of the most creative geniuses in hip hop history, and he is calling for more leaders who are real entrepreneurs and family men.

🗯️A Final Thought

Think about your social media friends who complain that the show wasn’t entertaining enough. They are the very people the system wants to keep distracted with simple entertainment instead of education.

Watch the first 10 seconds of Kendrick’s rap (with the “Bigger than Hip Hop” reference) and see true art in action.

The message is clear: we will no longer accept thing that are used to hurt us. We are awake.

Instead of waiting for change, we need to learn and grow. Remember, you do not expect a famous artist who has won a Pulitzer Prize to just dance or twerk—you appreciate art because it can change cultures.

I'm always open to discussions, and I intend on putting a more comprehensive analysis of this and other things in future post.

Let’s talk about things.