The entire nation is crowded around their TV screens, watching as a final play between the Cheifs and the Eagles signals halftime. The Superbowl Halftime performance of 2025 comes onto the screen after an advertisement for Apple Music. 133.5M people watch, marking the most-watched event since the moon landing of 1969. From the minute his performance starts, it’s clear it’s not just a show. It’s a message.
The entire stadium is dark, and a section of the crowd has light-up bracelets illuminating a 20-second countdown when viewed from the cameras. White lights illuminate different shapes across the field. It looks familiar, it’s based on the iconic Sony Playstation controller buttons.
It’s a game, but Lamar will not play it. Kendrick starts singing an unreleased song on top of a GNX, the same car model that brought him home from the hospital where he was born. This immediately sets the tone for the rest of the performance. “The revolution is about to be televised, you picked the right time but the wrong guy,” Lamar says, a political statement made right off the bat with Trump in the audience.
A glaring piece in Kendrick Lamar’s outfit is his huge “a” bling, representing the line “…a minor” in his hit song “They Not Like Us”, a diss track towards Drake and his reputation of grooming many women in the industry, one of them being Sza, who also performs for a short segment in the halftime show.
Another article of clothing Lamar wore that drew the audience’s attention was his tight bell-bottom denim jeans. Flared jeans have a historical association with speaking out against injustice and activism, as they were most popularly worn by protesters during the Civil War when protesting against the war in the ’60s.
They became associated with anti-war, discontent with politics and government, freedom, self-expression, counter-culture, and rebellion. This era was marked by activism, the women’s rights movement, the civil rights movement, the black power movement, etcetera, and all these activists and protesters were wearing bell-bottom jeans. Kendrick paid attention to every single detail, and his message is the inner lining of every part of this performance.
Uncle Sam, played by Samuel L. Jackson, represents government and political control and interjects during the performance. He starts with an introduction, “It’s your uncle, Sam. And this is the great American game!” referring back to the Nintendo setup of the platforms and lights on the field. Kendrick brings out not just dancers, but his homeboys from Compton, California singing some of his best songs.
Sam interrupts. “Too loud, too reckless, too…ghetto!” Representing the political resistance to his black-rooted music. Kendrick has dancers wearing solid red, white, and blue, forming a flag on the steps from his car. He then stands between the flag, now dividing the flag as they perform Humble because Uncle Sam wants him to be humble with his music. Lamar and his dancers then descend onto the main floor, and a blackout in the stadium occurs once more. ‘Warning wrong way’ is illuminated with the bracelets in the audience once again, as Kendrick performs his “ghetto” songs.
This is Lamar going the “wrong way” with his music, doing the opposite of what Uncle Sam wants him to do. “Scorekeeper, deduct one life.” Uncle Sam shouts in anger, making eye contact with the barrel of the camera. This ties it back to the “game”, punishing Lamar for not following the rules of the game.
Kendrick starts playing the game again. He performs his hit songs with Sza, who is dressed in all red while Lamar is in all blue. This represents red and blue uniting, the appearance that the U.S. is all fine and dandy. Sam is pleased, “That’s what America wants! Nice, and calm.” Sam says smiling. In other words, no substance. “You’re almost there! Don’t. Mess. This. Up-” Kendrick interrupts Uncle Sam this time and delivers the following lines: “It’s a cultural divide imma get it on the flow. ‘You really ‘bout to do it?’ 40 acres and a mule this is bigger than the music” This is Kendrick’s final blow to Uncle Sam, where he starts to rap to “They Not Like Us”, the same song he is being sued for by Drake. He smiles at the camera, mocking Drake on live TV. He no longer pretends to play the game, he is ruling it.
The audience watching from their TV screens google “40 acres and a mule”, surging the Google search results and spiking the charts following the halftime performance. It’s a reference to promises made after the American Civil War, and conversations online sparked by this performance shift perspective and provide a complete understanding of American history and the lies told by the government to keep us quiet. Kendrick is showing us that it’s happening all over again with the current political state of America, but we see the truth behind their words and we can fight against it now.
However, one small part of the performance was hidden by TV cameras, a protest within a protest by what appears to be one of the backup dancers. He holds up a Palestinian and Sudanese flag, showing support for the country after the ceasefire between Palestine and Israel. He then escapes, to which he is chased down and tackled by security guards. The man was not arrested but has been banned from all NFL stadiums and games. This protest was the cherry on top, only further proving Kendrick Lamar’s point on the government trying to silence activists.
The performance ends with Lamar repeating “Turn this TV off”, and then the stadium blacks out for a final time, and once again the bracelets of audience members light up to create the words ‘GAME OVER’ on the TV screen. It was the perfect ending to the most powerful and legendary music performance of all time. His statement on turning the TV off is his metaphor for wanting America to cut out distractions and focus on his message, to not listen to the people in power and join the mission of protest. Kendrick did not make a single cent from his performance, even though he is currently being sued for They Not Like Us.
Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl halftime show was not just a performance; It was a profound statement on politics, social justice, and cultural resistance. Through meticulous details, from his attire to his interactions with Uncle Sam, Lamar created a message that transcended entertainment. His defiance of mainstream expectations and his unapologetic stance on issues like racial inequality, activism, and historical truths left a permanent mark on viewers.
The hidden protest, symbolism, and raw energy captured not just the eyes of millions but also their minds, encouraging a shift in perspective. He’s sending his message to the politicians and rich men in power that we now see what they’re trying to do, and we will not be tied down and silenced to please them. Lamar’s final command, “Turn this TV off,” urged America to tune out the distractions and focus on the truth that lies beyond the surface. It was a powerful reminder that the revolution, indeed, is televised—but only if we choose to see it.
