On Feb. 10, 2025, Kendrick Lamar performed in the halftime show for Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. This year’s show had one of the most notable audiences, with 83,000 people in attendance and millions watching worldwide.

Usually, dancers and performers grab the viewers’ attention with flashing lights and nostalgic feelings through their songs. This year, however, Lamar decided to take a different approach, grasping the audience’s attention by symbolizing race, identity and power.

With Lamar’s ongoing conflict with Drake, many assumed the halftime show was his way to gain an upper hand, but his message has a deeper meaning. His performance started with Samuel. L Jackson dressed up as Uncle Sam, representing the American government. He introduces Lamar on stage, praising him for behaving and scolding him for bad behavior. His message is clear – America wants control and for its people to act orderly.

“No no no no no! Too loud, too reckless – too ghetto! Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game? Then tighten up,” Jackson said.

After Lamar opened with his unreleased GNX track “squabble up,” he had his dancers come out in red, white and blue tracksuits, forming the American flag. They stood on various parts of the stage, which displayed the icons of a gaming controller.

The performance symbolized Lamar’s message to viewers: the American government is controlling its people in “the great American game,” where they fuel the people with false hope. The flag then splits in two pieces, and instead of working together, the dancers fight against each other, representing the split in the country.

“It’s a cultural divide… 40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music,” Lamar said.

Many Americans watch the Super Bowl, and Lamar used this opportunity to emphasize his belief that the government is trying to distract its people and the media in hopes that they will overlook the truth.

“The revolution is about to be televised. You picked the right time but the wrong guy,” Lamar said.

As a whole, Lamar’s hidden messages in the Super Bowl created an unsettling but nostalgic performance. The songs he performed supported the message he looked to convey while still keeping the viewers engaged.

The Super Bowl usually serves as a sentimental time for everyone to get together, but Lamar used the platform to bring people back to reality and let them know it is time to work together and stop consuming the government’s propaganda. After such a powerful message in his performance Lamar tells the audience, “Turn this TV off,” as if to not get distracted from reality.