Super Bowl LIX’s halftime show faced many opinions from viewers on Kendrick Lamar’s performance, his ongoing controversy with Drake and, most importantly, the political messaging of race in American society.
Super Bowl LIX was the most-watched Super Bowl of all time, according to the NFL. Not only did the Philadelphia Eagles pull off an enormous victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, but Lamar’s halftime show also proved applaudable in many regards.
The halftime show opened with Samuel L. Jackson, a Black actor, dressed in an Uncle Sam suit covered in stars and stripes. The presentation embraced American symbolism of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as claimed in the Declaration of Independence. America, credited for the value of equality, struggles to uphold such a right for all Americans, often favoring white males. The nation has certainly progressed in providing equality to African Americans, yet racism is still a prevalent issue. The irony in Jackson’s costume presented the dichotomy in America’s values and its racial exclusion.
Lamar started the show with his song “Squabble Up,” to which Uncle Sam responds by stating that such a song is “too loud, too reckless and too ghetto.” The commentary from Uncle Sam represents a larger issue in the United States, specifically relating to Black music. Some suggest that racism is not an issue in the nation because many Black artists have achieved great success in the music industry. However, such an argument is flawed. Many white Americans have labeled Black artists with the same critiques given by Uncle Sam to Lamar during the halftime show.
Uncle Sam then asks, “Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game?” The question shows that Black Americans needed to fit a certain mold to achieve success in American society. In other words, American society upholds certain rules, and “making it” in the music industry requires obedience to those rules.
Then, to demonstrate the polarization in America, Lamar walks through the middle of his dancers, who are dressed in red, white and blue arranged in the design of the American flag.
The performance showed that racism is still a topic of contention and remains prevalent.
Just five years ago, the murder of George Floyd sparked a widespread protest. Floyd’s murder represents a larger issue in American society: African Americans still face unequal treatment, police brutality, white supremacy and harassment. The law may uphold African Americans as equal, but African Americans are continually mistreated, dating back to the creation of the United States.
The performance stage was designed like a prison and game controller. The setup is indicative of American society rigging the playing field for its citizens. Certain members, predominantly white males, have been favored in terms of wealth, power and politics. The structure of American society selects opportunities based on race and wealth.
Sure, someone born into a low-income family can work hard to obtain equal access, but the starting point in society plays a large and determining role in one’s outcome. The prison field in Lamar’s performance may symbolize how African Americans are incarcerated disproportionately to white Americans.
Historically, segregation and redlining have also effectively isolated Black people in underinvested areas and contributed to structural disadvantages, including concentrated poverty and poor outcomes in education, nutrition, employment, mental and physical health. These conditions have been associated with heightened levels of crime, law enforcement surveillance, arrests, and even the likelihood of behavioral health disorders, such as substance misuse and mental illness, according to the Pew Research Center.
At one point in Lamar’s performance, a sign read “Warning Wrong Way.” The sign may refer to the 2024 election and President Donald Trump’s win over candidate Kamala Harris. Returning to another term of the Trump administration regressed American victories.
However, the 2024 election signified a breaking point. President-elect Donald Trump won more Black voters than any Republican candidate was able to do in nearly fifty years, according to Newsweek. Despite evidence of Trump’s previous racist rhetoric, his ability to secure Black votes should alarm the American nation. Democrats and Republicans need to stop their empty promises.
For generations, Black voters have traditionally voted for the Democratic nominee in the presidential election. However, according to Timothy Findley, the Democratic Party often showcases Black leaders during campaigns but rarely delivers substantive change. In California, some politicians promising to address racism “are the same ones who are responsible for the reasons so many Californians—particularly Blacks—struggle economically, decade after decade,” according to the Hoover Institution. They implement policies that reduce economic opportunities, increase living costs, perpetuate a failed K-12 education system, and impose substantial and disproportionate harm on Blacks, Hispanics and women.
Lamar has produced many songs featuring his own personal and political experiences as a Black man living in the United States. His songs address the war on drugs, a racially motivated effort by President Reagan that harmed African Americans, redlining and the continued presence of racism.
The 2025 halftime show was not a mere source of entertainment but rather a wake-up call. The message calls out Democrats and Republicans alike who use Black Americans as political pawns. Denouncing racism is not enough. Words do not mean anything until actions align with promises.
