Even a week after the Super Bowl, all I’ve been hearing is, “That halftime show was garbage,” “DEI?”  and “That’s what y’all call music?”  

OK, bird brain.   

Regardless of the intended message Kendrick Lamar was trying to show us, the actual music was really good. You don’t have to be a fan of Lamar’s music to know that one.   

Lamar is a master storyteller who uses his music to paint vivid pictures of the world around us.  He got the opportunity to tell a story about the stuff going on in this country, and people are mad?  

Y’all complaining online simply didn’t understand the symbolism attached to the performance.   

This performance wasn’t just about entertainment. It was about making a statement. In which he did, one that wasn’t just about sex, money and drugs.   

He used his platform to speak truth to power and to bring attention to the systemic injustices that plague this society.  

If you missed some of the stories and symbolism in the performance, here you go.  

• Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam  

Hello? Does no one remember being taught Uncle Sam was the personification of the federal government? Jackson served as the narrator and interjected with commentary all too familiar. Jackson, or should I say Uncle Sam, bashed Lamar’s performance and made comments such as, “Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto!”  

Black history in the US is characterized by prejudice, structural oppression and tenacity. Lamar used Jackson to represent how the United States still views Black culture and people. The United States has been known for racism, policies and views. He also said, “Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game? Then tighten up.” This symbol alone was so powerful.   

• A call-out to the revolution  

Early in his performance, Lamar stated, “The revolution about to be televised. You picked the right time but the wrong guy.” The line was a reference to Gil-Scott Heron’s song “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” which argues that you must be active if you want change to happen. You can’t be a passive participant in revolution. Lamar’s quote has been interpreted online as a call-out to the current state of America and to current President Donald Trump, who ironically was sitting in the crowd. 

• The “Great American Game”  

Lamar opened with a layout that was intended to be PlayStation symbols. And Uncle Sam said, “This is the great American game.” Funny, isn’t it? Lamar’s spilling everything that is happening right into the audience’s faces. The concept of the said game is a reference to the Black culture, people and life.   

Life isn’t easy on this side of the road. Black Americans have always had to navigate and “play the game” of American life, culture and politics. Lamar disobeyed what Uncle Sam said and told the scorekeeper to deduct one life. Wow. 

• The American flag formation  

Throughout the performance, the backup dancers did just the job. All the dancers were dressed in either red, white, or blue. But that wasn’t just for show. The real show was them standing in line and forming the flag. The dancers separated in two groups showing the American flag split in half down the middle with Lamar in the center saying, “It’s a cultural divide.”  

The biggest part that I know went over many people’s heads was when all the dancers were bent forward, lifting their backs in the air. This indicated how America was built on the backs of Black American’s ancestors. 

• 40 Acres and a Mule  

Before Lamar performed the one song y’all wanted to hear throughout the entire performance, he raps to his backup singers, “40 acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music.” Which he was visually showing throughout his performance. That line is a reference to the promised reparations to Black Americans at the end of slavery.   

On Jan. 16, 1865, Union General William T. Sherman’s Special Field Order No. 15 called for each formerly enslaved family to receive 40 acres of land. A short-lived promise, since it was never fulfilled. So, if you hear any Black person saying, “I need my reparations,” that’s where that phrase is from.  

I gave four symbols that I caught, but trust, there are plenty more in that 13-minute performance.  

I’ve never seen this much debating, dissecting or fighting for any other halftime performance. Regardless of if you got the message or not, if you liked the performance or not, Lamar was showing us the bigger picture and what we need to focus on.   

Art isn’t always about entertainment, even though I was entertained. Art is about evoking something: discomfort, reflection, conversation.   

Lamar delivered a political sermon, as most have said, speaking on revolution, oppression and how messy the world is right now.   

But so many are sitting there confused, waiting for a beat drop and some fireworks. 

Lamar was putting us on game, literally, and people are still bashing it? 

This performance alone should make all communities want to stand together as one, fighting against what is to come.   

Don’t hate the performance just because it’s “new music” or goes against “preferences.”  

For those who still don’t understand it, go rewatch it. There’s a much bigger picture here.  

Payton Liggins can be reached at 581-2812 or at paliggins@eiu.edu.