Kendrick Lamar performed a record breaking Halftime show at the Super Bowl this year. Over 130 million viewers tuning in to watch him perform, the expectations for his performance were through the roof. Lamar has always had a habit of making references, hiding details and symbolism in his performances and the Super Bowl was no exception.

“There was so much there that was so important for social commentary,” said AP literature teacher Jenny Bonafide.

At the beginning of Lamar’s performance, he had a popular actor, Samuel L. Jackson, do the introduction dressed up as Uncle Sam. Lamar’s choice of a black actor can be seen as a sign of defiance by changing the narrative of what Uncle Sam looks like. During the performance, Jackson tells Lamar to stop being loud and reckless, voicing stereotypes that are typically directed towards African Americans and hip-hop music, something not often done in previous halftime shows.

“I had never seen a Super Bowl performance like his, it was just very different,” said freshman Emmy Lookabill.

Lamar’s choice to perform his song “Alright,” was significant, particularly because this song originally became associated with the Black Lives Matter movement. The track symbolizes perseverance and defiance. The placement in the Super Bowl was a representation of black communities. Thus he is advocating against racial injustice and police violence.

“He’s saying that he is going to televise what should be done,” said Bonafide.

Lamar’s performance resonated with many audiences while also being extremely personal. He referenced and rapped about growing up in a violent environment, which many people can relate to. His ability to turn pain into something that many can sympathize with really shows Lamar’s personality and describes his desire to be inclusive.

“I felt like the performance was personal, it felt almost like it was specifically performed to the TV, not to the actual super bowl audience,” said Lookabill.