Kendrick Lamar, a popular rapper famous for his lyrical talent, performed at the Super Bowl 59 halftime show in Los Angeles on February 9th, 2025. Lamar not only made the halftime show a memorable display of visual and musical artistry, he also incorporated a bold political statement through his performance. 

The show opens up with Samuel L. Jackson dressed in an Uncle Sam outfit, greeting and introducing Lamar to the audience. As Lamar starts his show he proclaims, “The revolution ’bout to be televised, you picked the right time but the wrong guy.” The first part of his declaration is a reference to the saying “the revolution will not be televised.”

After witnessing this, Jackson scolds Lamar, warning him not to be “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto.” In response, Lamar and his backup dancers – dressed in red, white, and blue – create the shape of the American flag, with Lamar standing in the middle. A clear example of Lamar attempting to challenge traditional ideas of patriotism and Black stereotypes while also conveying a message about belonging and resistance. 

While his visuals were a key role of conveying his message, Lamar also used his music to reinforce the points he wanted the audience to understand.

Using songs like “Alright” and “DNA”, Lamar sends messages of hope and strength while also calling for a change. In “Alright”, the chorus “We gon’ be alright,” emphasizes perseverance in the face of adversity, transforming the song into a symbol of hope and unity.

During the performance, Lamar used a combination of music, stage design, and visuals in order to encourage the audience to think critically about the world they are living in. The show comes to a close with Lamar performing “TV Off,” urging America to “turn the tv off” and act upon the current social issues they face. This moment serves as a direct callback to the beginning of his show when he declared that “the revolution ’bout to be televised.”