Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance had many surprising elements, one of them being a last blow on the feud with Drake. However, his 13-minute show also had some subtle political instances, especially the rapper’s subtle jab at Donald Trump. Lamar is known for his past disdain toward the president, and he wasn’t too afraid to show it during his performance.
The Super Bowl halftime stage is coveted by artists from all over the world. The historical NFL night kicked off with a heated game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs. Donald Trump, who supports the latter, also attended the game, creating history as the first sitting president of the United States to do so.
On the other hand, Lamar took center stage as the halftime headliner. Back in January, it was confirmed that he would join his frequent collaborator SZA on the stage; however, his setlist was quite unpredictable. Kendrick Lamar introduced an unreleased song at the start, setting the mood right. The song, which is being dubbed bodies, has created a significant buzz since then. In particular, the lyrics “The revolution is about to be televised, you picked the right time but the wrong guy,” raised eyebrows. Many felt like it was Lamar’s direct commentary on the current political climate in the United States and, with it, a subtle jab at Trump, who was witnessing the show.
It felt like an obvious political move given when he was performing the lyrics, the African-American background dancers were all dressed in red, white, and blue, representing the flag. “The revolution is about to be televised…,”This line single-handedly conveyed Lamar’s bold opinion, transcending beyond just entertainment.
Not only lyrics, there was another highlight moment that led to some speculation. Dressed as America’s very own Uncle Sam, veteran actor Samuel L. Jackson introduced the rapper on stage and appeared quite a few times in between performances. Following Lamar’s Squabble Up performance, the actor appeared saying, “No, no, no…too loud, too reckless, too ghetto. Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game? Then, tighten up.”
👀 👀 Did Kendrick Lamar just take a dig at Trump in the halftime show?? — “The Revolution will be televised. You picked the right time but the WRONG GUY.”
Samuel L. Jackson: “too ghetto” #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/TiIjCOn4IR
— Indy Cat 2000 (@TheFinalBot1) February 10, 2025
This part of the show appeared to many as another jab at Donald Trump. One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote, “Kendrick having Samuel Jackson as Uncle Sam (personifying America) calling Kendrick’s performance “too ghetto” and then cutting to his all-Black backup dancers displaying as the American flag during Black History Month while Trump is in attendance? King shit.” Another commented, “Can’t wait for Trump to say it’s ‘DEI’.”
Many have been criticizing Donald Trump as a “racist,” especially following his re-election. Through his revised DEI policies and other executive orders, his naked views have been unfolded in front of the people. Amid such turbulent political weather in America, Lamar’s move made many praise his courage.
