What did you think of Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show this year?

If you were expecting a flashy, feel-good performance...

Well, you might have been caught off guard.

Did you catch all the mic–drop symbolic moments & lyrics —

I'm here to break down Kendrick Lamar's performance for you ;)

Who is Kendrick Lamar?

For those unfamiliar, Kendrick Lamar isn't just any rapper – he's a true genius and is one of the most important voices of our time.

Kendrick is the only hip-hop artist to ever win a Pulitzer Prize for Music, for his album Damn, which became a cultural landmark, praised for its raw, unfiltered look at modern Black life in America.

Most recently, Kendrick won five Grammy Awards for his song, "Not Like Us", underscoring his significant impact on the music industry and his peers.

Everything related to his performances is extremely well thought out.

And his Super Bowl halftime show was no different.

From the stage setup to the dancers, the guest appearances, and even the signs flashing in the background, everything was deliberate. If you weren't paying close attention, you might have missed what he was really saying.

So let's break it down.

1. The Battle Against Drake

Kendrick Lamar and Drake (the Canadian superstar) are two of the biggest names in the rap industry, so when they started beefing, the world took notice. But how did this happen? Let's rewind.

Kendrick and Drake's war began back in 2024 when Drake and another rapper, J. Cole, proclaimed themselves — together with Kendrick — as "The Big 3" in hip-hop; the three most important rappers of this generation.

However, Kendrick never cosigned the idea and later took offense to it. J. Cole later apologized but the damage was done. The rap world took sides.

Drake and Kendrick Lamar dropped numerous diss tracks on each other, but nothing hit harder than when Kendrick dropped Not Like Us. In the hit song, Kendrick accuses Drake of being a danger to the culture. He also questions Drake's credibility, his authenticity, and even calls out how Drake reportedly gets into relationships with young women (minors).

Kendrick's song, Not Like Us, became a phenomenon. It topped the charts for weeks, dominated social media, and became an anthem. Then, when it came to the 2025 Grammys, Not Like Us cleaned up – winning multiple awards and solidifying Kendrick as the most important rapper of our time.

So now fast forward to the Super Bowl, and everyone wants to know: will Kendrick perform Not Like Us?

Kendrick teases us by taking a jab at the music industry:

"I want to perform their favourite song, but you know they love to sue".

It is a nod to the legal threats Kendrick is facing if he performs the track live.

But he performs it anyway. And that leads us to Kendrick's a-minor necklace...

Throughout the performance, Kendrick rocks a lowercase 'a minor' chain, perhaps as a reference to Drake's preferred musical key. But this necklace is also a direct shot at Drake, playing into the allegations of Drake having relations with underage girls.

And then came the moment that solidifies it all: the entire stadium chants "A minor" while Kendrick mouths the lyrics, thereby avoiding a potential law suit from the record label (because Kendrick didn't sing it himself).

Now, let's get into the set...

2. The Set: A Game of Control

At first glance, Kendrick's stage looks sleek, futuristic, and almost minimalistic. But take a closer look, and it becomes clear. The stage is shaped like the buttons on a Playstation controller.

Now, why does that matter? Well, for one, Sony owns Playstation – and Sony also owns Drake's record label. That alone makes it a dig at Drake.

But there's more!

A game controller also symbolizes control – who has it and who doesn't. Is Kendrick playing the game, or is he calling out the fact that everything – the music industry, entertainment, even politics – is just a game?

Throughout the performance, Kendrick weaves in themes of power, influence and manipulation.

We'll keep analyzing, but what do you think? Turns out this performance is more than just a battle with Drake... it's a revolution against the American system...

3. Uncle Sam (uel Jackson): The Enforcer of Rules

Suddenly, there appears Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam...

Uncle Sam is the embodiment of the U.S. government and the system that dictates who gets ahead and who gets left behind.

And Jackson? He's no stranger to playing these kinds of roles. Throughout his career, he's portrayed characters who act as enforcers of the system, like in Django Unchained, where he plays a loyal servant to a brutal slaveowner – a character who policed his own people to maintain the status quo.

Here, Jackson is enforcing the rules of the entertainment industry and American society as a whole. Specifically, Kendrick has Uncle Sam enforce the unspoken rules Black artists and public figures are expected to follow to be accepted in America.

Throughout the show, Jackson's voice cuts in at key moments, deciding when Kendrick is "acceptable" and when he is "too much". This can be taken as a metaphor for how America often polices Black expression, particularly when it becomes politically or socially challenging.

At one point, Uncle Sam scolds Kendrick:

"No, no, no. Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto. Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game?" (There's play the game again, by the way 😉)

This sets the tone. 'Play the game' means fall in line. Don't be too disruptive. Entertain, but don't challenge the system. Speak, but not too loudly.

And then, later in the show, Uncle Sam suddenly changes his tone. When SZA enters with a smooth, radio-friendly performance, his response shifts:

"That's what I'm talking about! That's what America wants. Nice and calm. You're almost there. Don't mess this up."

The message? If you play by the rules, you get rewarded.

And when Uncle Sam sees that all of the dancers are black, he delivers the line to Kendrick:

"Oh, you brought your homeboys with you, the old culture cheat code. Scorekeeper, deduct one life"

It drives the same point home. Step out of line, and you're penalized.

Challenge the system, and you get erased.

Except Kendrick isn't playing the game. He's rewriting it.

4. The Dancers: The American Game

The dancers all gather together to form a giant American flag.

Kendrick stands in the middle, a symbol of the country's divisions. The dancers represent different backgrounds, political parties, and struggles, yet they are moving within the same system. It is a reflection of how America keeps people divided – racially, economically, socially – while convincing everyone that we're all playing the same game, when we're not.

Then, if we want to go back to the ongoing theme of games...

The dancers' costumes are sweatsuits that look strangely similar to what the characters on the popular Netflix show Squid Game wear. Squid Game players are pitted against each other and forced to compete for survival while those in power watch from above. The show itself is a critique of capitalism, and Kendrick uses it to highlight how the American system works – that is, keep the people fighting among themselves so they don't question the President Trump.

5. The Non-Musical Interludes

Kendrick addresses the audience in between songs, making it sound like a freestyle rap, but the words have serious intent.

"The revolution is about to be televised. You picked the right time but the wrong guy."

But who is Kendrick talking about? Many believe it to be Donald Trump.

Kendrick has been a vocal critic of Donald Trump for years. He has called him a "chump" in his previous songs, and his album Damn (yes, the same one he won the Pulitzer prize for) takes multiple shots at the Trump administration.

Kendrick then later says:

"This is bigger than the music. They tried to rig the game, but you can't rig influence" (there it is again – 'the game' 😉)

This line again is riddled with double meanings. Kendrick is speaking to multiple audiences – corporate execs, industry gatekeepers, and possibly political power players as well.

In a world where artists are expected to "play the game", Kendrick is making it clear: he's not interested in following the rules.

6. Serena Williams: A Statement Within a Statement

Then surprise! Serena Williams shows up and is dancing her infamous Crip Walk.

Serena Williams is in this halftime perfomrance for only 4 seconds. But here's what you need to know:

• Drake once dated Serena Williams and is also accused of stalking Selena.
• Serena Williams was once fined for doing this same dance after winning a tennis match.
• Serena Williams does her famous dance in the middle of the 'X' on stage (coincidence?)

This is a statement within a statement. Was this just choreography? Or another diss at Drake? I think the latter, you?

7. The Signs: "Stage 1", "Warning: Wrong Way", "Game Over"

Kendrick employs not-so-subtle, flashing signs flash in the background:

Really hard to see here, but "Stage 1" written in the top of your pictures!

"Warning Wrong Way"

And last but certainly not least, "Game Over"

Each sign tells a different part of the story. "Stage 1" suggests the beginning of something – is it the revolution that Kendrick is talking about? Is it a shift in the music industry? Is it a larger social movement? You decide.

"Warning: Wrong Way" could be a message to those who stand in opposition to change. It can also be a reminder that the old ways of thinking are leading down a dangerous path. And considering Kendrick's past criticism toward Donald Trump, it's hard not to see this as another pointed remark, especially with Trump in attendance.

And "Game Over"? That is the final statement. Maybe Kendrick is declaring the end of the old industry rules, or the death of his feud with Drake. Or maybe, just maybe, he is telling America that he's done playing the game.