Raghav Sharma - Week #11: The Message in The Super Bowl Halftime Show
Well, are you Team Kendrick or Team Drake? Now for me personally, I'm Team Drake. Everything about Drake's music, his lyrics, his beat, is something which I fall in love with every time I listen to him; and his stage presence is just amazing, as he gets the crowd into it in every single song, and it's so fun to just witness him.
Now, the halftime show in the Super Bowl this year was the most watched halftime show ever, beating Micheal Jackson's record of 133.4 million people watched. Kendrick Lamar put on a show, playing his hit songs like All the Stars and Not Like Us, but in between those songs, there were small messages Kendrick was trying to show, did any of you catch those?
Kendrick showed a game controller in his halftime show, which is featuring a playstation controller showing X, O, Y, and Square. The interoperation of this game controller can be shown as how people in America are being "played" or controlled by the government and the system. The stage, which was designed as a controller, can also represent how society is manipulated, much like a player controlling a video game character.
Kendrick included Samuel L Jackson in his show, to play 'Uncle Sam', which is to symbolize the US government. At one point, Jackson "scolded" Lamar, saying "no no no no! Too loud, to reckless - to ghetto! Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game? Then tighten up!" This moment in the performance showed how societal pressures disadvantaged communities to follow certain rules to succeed. When Jackson questioned Lamar, he was pointing out how Black artists and communities are often expected to act in a certain way.
Lamar's performance used powerful symbols and messages to make people think about deeper issues in society. It encouraged viewers to think and question how the system forces people to follow certain rules, even when those rules go against their identity and culture
Hey Raghav, I want start this comment of by saying that I am Team Kendrick. I always have been, and I probably always will be. That said I still do like Drake's music. His new album with PND was honestly an amazing listen and many of those songs are joining my regular playlist. Now for the halftime show, that was a spectacle. As in Kendrick fashion he made an absolute show of the event while also making sure to put a hidden message in almost every aspect of the performance. I also cannot forget all the fun little messages that Kendrick had placed during the half time show which you pointed out. Many of them were disses at Drake, but some were culture references. It was certainly a performance for a certain audience, but I loved it.
ReplyDeleteHey Raghav! Just like you, I am a drake fan. Although Kendricks Lamar's performance on stage was good, I would rather have drake preforming on the stage rather than Kendrick. The way you explained the stage layouts and how the stage was shaped as a controller really helped me understand the deeper meaning of the show was really about. Comparing how the controller is like us and how society is being manipulated as a whole, really made me think about what else was Kendrick Lamar trying hide on stage that had a deeper meaning. I saw one thing during the show that Kendrick Lamar had invited Serena Williams to dance on stage, and the funny thing is, she is Drakes ex. Now I don't know if that means anything, but that might have been another diss to Drake.
ReplyDeleteHey Raghav. Starting off, I just wanted to say that I've been looking forward to watching Kendrick's halftime show for months now, and I'm really glad you decided to cover it in this week's blog. Although I do enjoy some of Drake's music, I'd have to go with team Kendrick. He's had a huge impact on the rap scene in 2024, and GNX is probably one of my top 5 favorite albums. Now back to the main topic; the halftime show was probably the highlight of my weekend. Although I thought the start was a little underwhelming, reading your blog about all the clever little symbols and Easter eggs Kendrick put in his performance completely changed my perspective on it, and now I can appreciate the message for what it really means. Great analysis!
ReplyDeleteHey Raghav, Whats up! Lovin the blog title already. But, unfortunately I have to disagree on everything you've said. I'm a hardcore team kendrick fan because I love the music and to be honest he completely destroyed Drake's career when they dissed. I believe Kendrick is super talented and there is this unique flare he adds to his music, and although I love his songs, I have to say this superbowl half-time show was far from remarkable. There wasn't any hype and nor was watching it an enjoyable experience. Sure there were political symbols and certain issues that Kendrick attempted to hint at, but ultimately, people go to watch the superbowl to have a fun time and Kendrick wrote up a puzzle that nobody really wanted to solve.
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