Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show was terrible (for various reasons but let’s start with the low fruit)— 98% of people couldn’t understand him. Whether it was the microphone quality, his delivery, or a deliberate artistic choice, the result was a performance that left many confused. Sure there are also many people who listen to Kendrick’s music and knew what was being said based off previous listening, but that group feels to be pretty small in comparison. To most it was utter confusion. And that confusion wasn’t just limited to the music. The imagery, the messaging, and the cultural impact all seemed designed to spark controversy rather than celebration.
Immediately after the performance, the conversation wasn’t about the music or Kendrick’s artistry. It turned racial and political almost instantly. And when there was a portion of people who praised the artistry, they still followed up their praise with shots fired in the direction of those who disagreed with their opinion— so strange how predictable it became during nearly every positive review of the performance. Even the endless posts celebrating the “5th Black QB” in the Super Bowl. While representation matters, treating black athletes as if they are overcoming some inherent disadvantage is counterproductive. It reinforces the idea that black success is some sort of anomaly rather than a normal reality. Why not just celebrate them as great quarterbacks, period?
And then there was Serena Williams’ crip-walking on stage. This moment was bizarre for several reasons. Some saw it as a troll move because of her history with Drake. I personally didn’t even notice it was her. Others however pointed out the tragic reality that her half-sister (not Venus) was killed by a Crip, making the dance choice feel in poor taste at best. My thoughts, maybe she was just having fun. Crip-walking is an amazing dance, and I personally love doing it. Regardless, it was still a pretty interesting moment.
**((Even as I write this, I have to ask myself—why do I even care about analyzing this? Am I too being manipulated on some level? It’s as if I’m being forced to pick a side.. was the performance amazing or awful? There can be no in between! Pretty interesting how quickly this performance turned into an us vs. them type of energy))**
Let’s take the hot take a bit further though.
The Kendrick vs. Drake beef was manufactured because mainstream hip hop was seconds away from death. The music industry thrives on controversy and conflict, and with mainstream hip-hop losing influence, they likely saw this feud as a way to reignite engagement. It’s crazy because society was just starting to realize the negative impacts of sex, money, drugs, messaging in music… then all of sudden this beef came out of nowhere as if a red panic button was pushed by the music industry. (On a side note, I believe Kendrick has been portrayed as being anti-industry, as a conscious rapper, a man of the people. But I think that’s manufactured too. And just because I think that doesn’t mean I’m team Drake; it’s crazy that people have to choose one or the other, I dislike them both equally lol). Even the“record-breaking” halftime viewership stat feels made up—just like the fabricated numbers in 1984. These artificial numbers are just a a way of shaping public perception and Kendrick himself feels like a pawn in something bigger.
Even his song “They Not Like Us” plays into a “Us vs. Them ” mentality—one of the oldest psychological tricks in the book. It’s a classic divide-and-conquer strategy used by authoritarians to divide and control mass populations by creating artificial separation between groups of people.
Then there’s the imagery. Some dismissed it as just a “PS4 controller” theme, but others (those who investigate occult imagery in entertainment) noticed something more. The triangle was upside down—a small but significant deviation. Later, when SZA appeared inside the upside-down triangle, it was also surrounded by a square, and it formed a Freemason apron, a well-documented occult symbol. Now, is this proof of some deeper agenda? No. But is it far-fetched to think that the entertainment industry, which has long played with esoteric (specialized knowledge) imagery, would incorporate these elements on purpose? Also no.
Perhaps the most unsettling thing about the entire performance was Kendrick himself. A performer on the world’s biggest stage should exude energy, excitement, joy—but Kendrick looked lifeless. Robotic. A puppet. The only real smile he cracked was a devious one, tied to the manufactured beef with Drake (and even that smile looked fake to me). Not once did he display pure joy for the music, the moment, or the audience. It was as if he was going through the motions, a cog in the industry machine, designed to distract, divide, and manipulate.
At the end of the day, it’s not just about the show itself but the aftermath. The performance, the race-baiting, the industry drama—it all feels engineered to create division. And if we’re not careful, we’ll fall right into the trap.
But we don’t have to.
We can choose to reject the narratives being pushed on us (which I think most of society has done), call out the manufactured outrage, and focus on what really matters—loving one another.
Let’s not allow these false divisions to take root. Let love win.