It’s been a week since Kendrick Lamar’ halftime performance at the Super Bowl and people can’t seem to stop talking about it. In fact, a great deal of the excitement that night was the anticipation of seeing him perform. But why was everyone holding their breath to see Kendrick Lamar perform? And a bigger and better question is how did he manage to keep everyone’s attention? This is how...
We all know that last summer, Lamar and Rapper Drake went head to head in what could be considered the most iconic rap battle of the modern day. So when it was announced that Kendrick Lamar would be performing at the Super Bowl, everyone had one question in particular. Will he perform the ultimate battle song, “Not Like Us?” In fact, it was what people were waiting for, and what did Kendrick do? He kept us waiting.
His performance was filled with suspense as we watched to see if he really would perform the song. As he rapped other hit songs, bringing out the singer SZA to sing alongside him, he kept us all entranced by the choreography and symbolism but also teasing the audience with the one track they were really waiting for.
One moment in the performance, he hinted at it and made a jab at Drake by saying he wanted to play the song but, “You know they love to sue.”
In case you didn’t know, Drake, sued Universal Music Group (UMG) for defamation and harassment for releasing the song, “Not Like Us,’’ putting a damper on everyone’s fun. However, as Lamar got ready to play his final song, he teased the song again and everyone was waiting to see if this was finally the moment where he would play it. Let us not forget that Lamar is not only a rapper but a poet and a pulitzer-prize winner, which means he understands writing, and timing. In fact, he knew that every word, every pause is part of the tease, and would make us wonder if what we want to happen, will happen. And with a smile on his face and a bop in his step, the beat dropped and the crowd and the internet went wild.
Making sure to turn to the camera as he called Drake out, Kendrick Lamar gripped the attention of everyone. He had won the attention of his crowd, and his crown was placed on his head as everyone sang along to one specific line in the song, “A minorrrrrrrrrrrr.”
But he wasn’t done with us. Throughout the performance, he knew how to use the suspense and the rivalry with Drake to address the sad political state we are in. Using symbolism, he did it without Trump or The NFL realizing it. A week later, we are all still hooked and talking about ... his hidden meanings as it relates to American politics, the state of our country, but not the silly squabble with Drake.