Everything after Kendrick Lamar’s satellite-guided-missile of a diss track “Not Like Us” feels like a screeching smoke-filled victory lap. Lamar’s star-studded homage concert to West Coast hip-hop, a surprise album and five grammy wins shifted Drake’s reputation from King of Pop-Rap to embarassssing 40-year-old “certified lover boy.” Upon announcement, it was clear Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX performance would be the proverbial finish line to this victory lap. The potential was there to cap off an unforgettable run and cement his legacy at the greatest rapper of the 21st century. At the seeming commercial peak of his career after a legendary discography, Lamar really got to flex his muscles for America.
I feel it’s necessary that a Super Bowl halftime show is insanely memorable. Memorability can stem from a great performance, such as Katy Perry’s vivacious sets and seamless transitions. Oppositely, memorability can stem from something like Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction. Although I think criticism of Janet Jackson is sexist and unfair, we’re still talking about her today. I’d rather be an act who’s talked about then be Coldplay, who I often forget were the headlining act alongside Bruno Mars and Beyonce. I’m not even sure what other members of Coldplay look like. Does anyone know? If you know please email me at [email protected].
Regardless, I feel that Lamar utilized his momentum fantastically for this performance. What I found impressive was the relatively unintricate set. There wasn’t much to look at other than Lamar strutting up and down a gray tarp. However, I feel the lack of space accentuated the overarching thematizes of Uncle Samuel L. Jackson preemptively criticizing Lamar’s performance. When Lamar played more rambunctious tracks like “Squabble Up,” Uncle Sam would interrupt the performance for being “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto,” asking if Lamar really knows how to play “the game.” Lamar, then plays “The Game” to Uncle Sam’s amusement, with more radio friendly hits in “Luther” and “All The Stars” with SZA. “That’s what America wants” Jackson says, before Lamar sets up “Not Like Us.” As the opening keys rattle, the stadium erupts while Kendrick runs laps around the camera with a s***-eating grin on his face. If the past ten months felt like a funeral, this was the final nail in the coffin. Pure energy.
A unique aspect of the show is it’s replayability. To be completely honest, I wasn’t too happy with the show upon first watch. I felt the backing audio was mixed too high on Lamar, which was more apparent during SZA’s gorgeous vocals. The performance seemed more TV friendly than stadium friendly, and the setlist seemingly avoided the hits. Yet, it’s the only Super Bowl halftime show I’ve felt a need to watch back. I notice more and more every time. My feed is chock full of reels explaining the subtleties of the performance – Lamar standing between a divided American flag, the PlayStation controller buttons on Uncle Samuel L. Jackson’s game, Drake’s ex Serena Williams C walking and a man laying on a light post as a nod to the Alright video. Hitting the intersection between entertaining and thought-provoking can be difficult to do in an entertainment-focused Super Bowl halftime show. Lamar nailed it; creating a statement piece that, according to the show’s director Dave Free, was a “cinematic and theatrical” depiction of “Black America.” Whether or not Lamar’s halftime show was personally entertaining is up to you, but to me this is the most memorable halftime show in ages. A very successful victory lap.
