Kendrick Lamar's big super bowl moment

In September 2024 NFL AD Kendrick Lamar as a half -time artist at Super Bowl 59The 37-year-old rapper stands in front of a colossal American flag and feeds footballs in a machine that starts the balls for broad recipients.

“Will you pull up? I hope it, ”he says, and puts his upcoming appearance One of the largest phases on this planetWhere the cultural missions could be as high because the sporty. “Wear your best dress, even for those who watch from home.”

The casual but impressive scene was the classic Kendrick.

As a world-famous Grammy and Pulitzer Prize excellent artistLamar is in its own league. His unshakable criticisms of racist injustice, systemic inequality and exploitation of black culture have made him a cross -border artist and cultural visionary.

My work examines how breed and racism are constructed, represented and challenged in mass media. Especially in news, music and sport. I believe the complicated history of the NFL with social justice makes participation much more essential.

Since a discography is expansive enough to deepen the temporal restrictions of the Sunday game, I’m excited to see whether Lamar will interweave his lyrical masterpieces for a performance that maintains the viewers.

Sports, politics and counter -reactions

Sport has at all times been politicalDespite the persistent calls to maintain politics away from sport.

The tradition of playing the National anthem Before Sporting event is just an example: the song is rooted in war sizes and serves as a call to patriotism.

Then there are unsightened protests by players and fans. Whenever skilled athletes come into the strikeIt is political. When fans develop banners It is political to support the Palestinians.

Out of Tommie Smith and John Carlos' fist understanding At the 1968 Olympic Games in solidarity with black communities through the civil rights movement Muhammad Ali's refusal to fight within the Vietnam WarTo Colin Kaepernick's knees to protest against the brutality of the policeAthletes have long used their platforms to query injustices and to query norms.

However, protests often lead against setbacks, and the NFL by accident tried to speeches political speeches.

Kaepernick's protests triggered a national debate concerning the ideas of patriotism and the adequacy of the protest on the sphere. At the identical time NFL owner seemed effectively to place it on the black list From the league.

Nick Bosa, a defensive end with the 49s, was taken for a nice Violation of a rule that prohibit players From wearing clothes that convey “personal news” when he his six is ​​worn During a postgame interview in 2024. In the meantime, NFL owners have the NFL owners donated hundreds of thousands of presidential campaignsWith most of those contributions too Republican candidates.

An artist and activist

The Super Bowl half -time show has long been greater than only a musical interlude. It's a stage where cultural and political currents come together.

While Beyoncés appear 2016 In addition to the headliner Bruno Mars, she paid homage to the Black Panthers, Malcolm X and the Black Lives Matt movement. U2S act During the 2002 Super Bowl, a moment of collective grief and hope for a rustic offered a rustic that was still tumbling from the terrorist attacks on September eleventh. In recent times, Dr. Dre's 2022 service celebrated Hip-hop climb From a marginalized genre to a dominant cultural force. Eminem, who also participated on this service, put a knee on the stage to criticize the treatment of black athletes and activists through the NFL.

For me, Lamar's Super Bowl symbols a broader settlement with how the NFL deals with the strain between politics and company entertainment.

This is because Kendrick Lamar's art is greater than just music. It's activism.

From his Grammy price-crowned album “To secure a butterfly“To the raw, introspective, album awarded with the Pulitzer Prize” “DAMNED.“Lamar consistently confronted with topics of systemic oppression, racist injustice and black life in America.

Tracks like “DNA.”Are unapologist celebrations of blackness and generation resilience:

 I got loyalty, got royalty inside my DNA
 Quarter piece, got war and peace inside my DNA
 I got power, poison, pain and joy inside my DNA
 I got hustle, though, ambition flow inside my DNA

“The blackish berry”Deals with the complexity of black identity and the confronted systemic racism:

  I said they treat me like a slave, cah me Black
  Woi, we feel whole heap of pain cah we Black
  And man a say they put me inna chains cah we Black

And “XXX.”Confronts greed, violence and hypocrisy within the core of American life.

  Hail Mary, Jesus and Joseph
  The great American flag
  Is wrapped and dragged with explosives
  Compulsive disorder, little kids
  Barricaded blocks and borders, look what you taught us
  It's murder on my street
  Your street, back streets, Wall Street

In contrast to many mainstream artists, Lamar seems to have mastered the sensitive balance between business success and politically charged content. His genius lies in his ability to put in writing songs This transcends breed, gender and sophistication.

At a time when the nation deals with efforts Reduction of diversity, justice and inclusion practicesPresent And as an organization power It stays deactivated, conversations about breed and inequality remain within the foreground.

Lamar has never hesitated to confront unpleasant truths through his music. He has a novel opportunity to merge art, activism and a criticism of the nation. I assume that this moment won’t be an exception.

Will you pull up I’ll.