The Super Bowl halftime show has always been the event within the event. Music’s biggest stars (and Usher) are renowned for putting on a show in the middle of America’s biggest event. Most stars take the opportunity and near unlimited budget given to them to showcase their top of the charts hits in front of a myriad of dancers and bright colors, essentially free publicity during the biggest show in the world. However, when it was announced in early September that rapper Kendrick Lamar was headlining this year’s show, it was immediately clear that this year would be different. 

That is the message Lamar chose to send to 123 million people on live television. Rap, as a genre, has never had the global appeal that other genres do. Knowing that, Lamar knew he couldn’t rely on his hits to carry him through the 13-minute spot that the NFL had given him. He knew he had to do something more, and in that he created “The Great American Game.” In this theatrical version of the Super Bowl halftime show format, Lamar would sing his hits while connecting them through Uncle Sam, portrayed by actor Samuel L. Jackson, and the massive setpieces set up like a game board, ultimately culminating with the word ‘game’ written with lights through the crowd.

Throughout the performance, Lamar incorporated themes of struggle and power in America through symbolism in his set pieces and dancers. One of the first images displayed is the titular Kendrick Lamar standing in the middle of an American flag made up of, notably, all black dancers. The symbolism of that alone is enough to fill essays. From the statement that America is built on African American labor, as the American flag created here is, to a rapper being in the center of that flag, insinuating that hip hop is the center of American culture. 

From that striking image forward, no solitary frame of the show goes unutilized. He sings “Man at the Garden” in front of a choir sitting on a lamp post, symbolizing the humble beginnings of the genre he proclaims in that very song he has perfected. After Uncle Sam proclaims to detract one life, the very next song takes place in an ‘X’ showing that loss of a life in the game. The next set introduces SZA with two slow, melodic songs: “Gloria” and “All The Stars” with the dancers walking in lines and in sync with one another, symbolizing how the game is meant to be played. The show then climaxes with the song that had been teased by four women earlier in the show, the five-time Grammy award-winning diss on Drake, “Not Like Us”; symbolizing the end of Lamar’s descent into going against the game America wants him to play. Lamar then ends the experience with “TV Off,” obviously being the end of the game. 

The most divisive piece of the show was the inclusion of the previously mentioned Uncle Sam. However, without him the show as currently constructed doesn’t work. He introduces the game itself and is instrumental in providing the through line between the different songs and setpieces and the message Lamar is trying to convey. His first quote introduces the concept of the show to the audience. Uncle Sam’s second interjection comes after Lamar’s first song, calling it “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto” and telling Lamar to “tighten up” symbolizing the American ideals of a more generally appealing, slower show. After passing up that advice and going more “ghetto” with his next four songs, Uncle Sam deducts one life for not adhering to the rules he himself laid out, symbolizing how unforgiving the American system is to people who don’t abide by the guidelines set. The next time Sam shows up is after the set of slow songs featuring SZA, saying that set abides by the rules and that Lamar has finally learned. After finally playing by the rules, Lamar completes his journey of going against the grain singing “Not Like Us”, essentially going against every rule. Uncle Sam, while not groundbreaking, is essential in demonstrating the otherwise unrelated images and performances.

It is undeniable that Kendrick Lamar took a massive risk going against every other halftime show in Super Bowl history. Delivering a message when people are expecting a 13-minute, concert style show is bold. However, I believe that he delivered an experience that no one else could. One that is, truly, Kendrick Lamar.