Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Performance: Emblems for The Culture

Feb 21, 2025
2 min read

Hi, my Social Mirror Reflectors, so just wondering, did y'all watch the 2025 Super Bowl halftime performance by Kendrick Lamar? It had me SHOOK- the culture, the music choices, and the entire dissertation in America through his exquisite symbol performance left me speechless. While there was much said on his part, those undercover emblems were what had us Americans in such an uproar. Let's dive in!

"No, no, no, too loud, too reckless, too ghetto! Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game? THEN TIGHTEN UP."

So, first things first, Samuel L. Jackson was dressed as our good old friend "Uncle Sam." Isn't that ironic? Mr. "I Want You" from those old war posters looks like old times are banging at our front door. In my opinion, this wasn't just for the show - Kendrick is an activist artist to his core; it was a social psychologist move. In psychology, symbols and emblems are spoken of as tools engaged with our collective consciousness. An emblem is basically a sign or a symbol that is recognized for its meaning in a universal way in any culture. Sam's words also played a big part; he criticized Kendrick for being "too loud, too reckless, too ghetto." That is how they see us African Americans in today's time, if I'm honest. We are often pressured to act "right" and be more proper, they want us to be something that we are not. Kendrick's viewpoint was not wrong; he shined a light on how they see us. They want us to suppress our authenticity. Then there was the divided American flag. That right there was the biggest message of all. You could feel the tension take over the room! For 'HUMBLE,' dancers formed a split flag, symbolizing how divided the country feels nowadays. This is where social identity theory kicks in. It states that our sense of who we are is derived from our group memberships—our political, racial, or cultural groups, for instance. By showing a fractured flag, Kendrick was highlighting how these identities are at odds with each other and making us feel fragmented. He was quietly (or maybe not so quietly) illustrating how this rift impacts our national unity and identity. We are not a whole; we are simply divided. Finally, the show ended with “tv off” this song is how the media influences on us as a whole. While the song ends in lights you can see “GAME OVER.” He has delivered the message no matter if it was with words or with emblems. We need to listen and take in the impact that this performance has on today's time.