The 2025 Super Bowl halftime show was unlike any other, with Kendrick Lamar delivering a performance that will go down in history. However, many viewers were left confused or disappointed. 

Some felt that Lamar’s show was too abstract, too deep, or just too different from the usual entertaining halftime shows that they are used to seeing. 

What most people did not realize was that Lamar’s performance was a bold statement. “A revolution,” according to Lamar, as he stated on stage speaking directly about Black culture, societal control, and the need for unity.  Unfortunately, the message he delivered flew over most viewers’ heads. 

This performance was not about simple entertainment; it was about exposing manipulation and most importantly, challenging the system that profits off the division and exploitation of marginalized people.

From the moment the show began, it was clear Lamar was not simply performing for entertainment. He was creating a detailed message. As the American flag was literally built by the red, white, and blue outfits of the Black background dancers on stage; it symbolized a fundamental truth that often goes overlooked: America was built on the labor and culture of Black individuals.

Yet, they continue to be marginalized, exploited, and misunderstood. Lamar was not calling out white America, but rather the powerful elite that controls the media, labels, and the narrative that divides people.

Lamar did not just point out the problems in the rap industry; he also showed how Black culture is being misrepresented. He highlighted how the media and entertainment industry often objectify Black women and promote harmful stereotypes. This was particularly evident when Lamar brought out SZA, a Black woman who is admired by millions for her talent, not her appearance. 

SZA was wearing head to toe red clothing, even including her hair. Most assumed her full coverage outfit was to fit the theme of red, white and blue, but it was also to prove that SZA along with other Black female musicians are more than their appearances. 

During the show, Lamar’s bold performance was challenged by the words of Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Uncle Sam, who criticized Lamar’s songs with lines like, “Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto,” and he also questioned him with, “Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game?” 

These lines are a direct reflection of the pressures Black artists often face when they step outside the mainstream expectations of entertainment. Uncle Sam’s character, speaking to Lamar and his dancers, was a reminder of how Black culture is often told to fit “American standards”. Despite Uncle Sam’s words to Lamar, he kept on with his performance. 

Lamar unmistakably dissed Drake during his show, sending a strong message through both his performance and the symbolism in it. Most assumed Lamar’s jabs at Drake were purely out of pettiness and tension between them; however,  in reality it was much more than that.  

Lamar expressed his stance on how certain artists, like Drake, have a corrupt role in the system he was critiquing. Drake, often seen as a representative of mainstream hip-hop and pop culture, is accused by Lamar of causing a culture of division and promoting toxic concepts through his music. 

While Lamar’s message was about unity and authenticity, he framed Drake as an example of the industry’s exploitation of Black culture for profit during his hit song, a diss track about Drake “Not like us”.

Lamar’s decision to invite tennis legend Serena Williams to dance on stage during “Not Like Us” further demonstrates his stance on how Black women are often over-sexualized, particularly in the media and by artists like Drake, who has been criticized for the way he portrays women in his songs. 

Lamar’s choice to include Williams, a successful and powerful Black woman, was a statement against the harmful stereotypes that often define Black women. So not only did Lamar invite Williams to prove his point that Black women are successful despite appearances, he also invited her because Drake is her ex-boyfriend which just threw more salt onto the wound for Drake.

 According to Thestandard.com, “The rapper was often seen attending Serena’s tennis matches during this period, and they were later photographed cuddling and sharing a kiss in 2015.” 

Another subtle yet powerful diss aimed at Drake came through Lamar’s eye contact during “Not Like Us.” Throughout the performance, he avoided direct eye contact with the camera, maintaining a cool and detached attitude.  

However, when he reached the line, “Say Drake, I hear you like ‘em young,” he made sure to look directly into the camera with a wide, Cheshire cat-like grin. This action revealed it was a pointed jab at Drake, referencing his controversial past relationships, including one with an alleged “17-year age gap” according to Yahoo Entertainment. 

The direct eye contact emphasized the weight of the accusation, making it impossible to ignore the dig at Drake’s history. “Even though the diss and the lack of eye contact while singing that song was petty, it shows Lamar’s lack of respect for Drake for making profit off of his black heritage when in reality he promotes the bad stereotypes,” Science teacher Tyler Rutledge said. 

Another aspect of Lamar’s show that most viewers overlooked was his use of squid game symbols on the field during multiple songs. For those who are not aware, Squid games is a top chart Netflix original series set in South Korea where the rich class gains entertainment from watching poor citizens fight to the death and play deadly games for money. 

Some believe that the use of these symbols and the “game over” made up of lights, calls out how corrupt it is when wealthier people gain entertainment off of the suffering of less fortunate, marginalized groups.

 “Squid games uses people and their lives as entertainment, just like the Super Bowl, just like Black people and the culture have been used historically by America and guys like Drake,” according to pubity.com.

In conclusion, Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl halftime show was much more than just a performance. It was a clever political and cultural statement that challenged the norms of mainstream entertainment. 

Through his visuals, lyrics, and symbolism, Lamar used the stage to speak on the exploitation of Black culture, the manipulation of the media, and the systemic issues within the entertainment industry all while entertaining the audience like he was instructed to do.

 While many may have missed the deeper message, Lamar’s Super Bowl performance will be remembered by many as a revolutionary moment in both music and culture.