Love it or hate it, the Apple Halftime Performance for Super Bowl LIX was one for the record books. With an average of 133.5 million viewers, it will go down as the most-watched halftime show in history — surpassing even the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, in 1995. But record-breaking numbers won’t be the only reason the show made history. 

For twelve minutes and thirty-five seconds, a five-foot-five Black man from Compton held the world’s attention and told America all about itself – all while using its favorite pastime as his medium.  Unlike other halftime performers who leveraged spectacle, special effects, and familiar tunes, Kendrick Lamar gave the world something different.  His performance was layered, complex, and full of symbolism.  It left social media tied up in knots, making a case for why he may be the greatest artist ever to grace the Super Bowl stage.

It’s a lofty claim.  But let’s explore why.

The Makings of an Artist

To determine whether or not Lamar qualifies as the greatest artist to ever perform at the Super Bowl, one must first understand art – primarily, what constitutes exceptional art?

The best art provokes thought.

In his writing, Art as Experience, one the most prominent scholars of the 20th century, John Dewey, argues that meaningful art should stimulate thought and reflection rather than simply entertaining.  It catalyzes critical thinking and challenges the viewer to dive deep. It’s why an art enthusiast can stand for what may seem like hours on end, staring at a piece, considering every angle of nuance. 

The best art encourages conversation and interpretation.

Many art critics claim that the hallmark of exceptional art is not its ability to convey a singular strong message. Unlike propaganda, it doesn’t tell the viewer what to think. Instead, the best art sparks conversation. 

French philosopher Jacques Ranciere, theorized that great art is a site for debate. Its ambiguity forces the audience to participate in meaning-making. It tells us not what to think but encourages us to think for ourselves, debate, and explore all the possibilities. 

And for Black people, the best art is revolutionary.

In his book, The Creative Process, poet James Baldwin writes, ” The artist’s job is to expose the contradictions of society, to speak to the times, and to offer a mirror to the present moment.” Balwin defined exceptional art by its ability to highlight social issues, transform consciousness, and call attention to what needs to be changed. These are the underpinnings of revolution.

In her essay “Art and Revolution,” scholar Angela Davis states, “The role of the artist is to engage with the struggle and to make visible the inequalities and injustices that pervade the world.” Once again, art for Black people should serve as a magnifying glass to the social ills and isms afflicting the people.

One could fill an entire book citing the prominent Black artists, philosophers, scholars, and critics who measure the quality of a work of art by its revolutionary impact.

“The artist must serve the people. The artist must raise the consciousness of the people and help them to understand the forces that oppress them.” W.E.B. Du Boise

“Art must not be separate from the struggle. It must be a weapon for liberation.” Amiri Baraka

And perhaps most relevant to Lamar’s performance, “We have got to talk about the things that matter and not simply the things that are popular. When art becomes only entertainment, it loses its ability to connect to life, to make people think, to make people act.” Nikki Giovanni

Surpassing the standard

And so we see through every definition, by every standard, and every ethnic group, Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance surpassed the litmus test of that which constitutes exceptional art. 

On provoking thought

Just moments after Lamar’s performance, with the “great American game” still underway, the internet hot takes and questions began to pour in.  Why would such a pro-Black artist dress his dancers in red, white, and blue? What was the significance of the Playstation controller? Why was Samuel L. playing Uncle Sam? And of all the styles of jeans out there, why on earth would he choose bell-bottoms?    

Music aside, everything about Lamar’s performance provoked thought.  From stage design and special guests to wardrobe selection and set list, every detail seemed to be part of a larger tapestry woven together only for those with the capacity to look beyond the surface.  

On encouraging conversation and interpretation

As our thoughts crystalized, conversations began to unfold. Family members and friends duked it out in comments, and think pieces went viral. From every conversation came ten different interpretations. 

Serena’s cameo? It was simply a shout-out to Compton. No – it was a dig at the folks who criticized her for crip-walking at the London Olympics in 2012. Nope – surely it was a jab at her former loverboy, Drake!

The blue and red wardrobe? Surely it signaled a divided America.  Or did it represent gang culture? But what about America being built on the backs of Black men?

And the bell bottoms? They were the choice simply because the style is trending again. But wait! Dig deeper – bell bottoms signal the activist parties and social rebels of the 70s. They weren’t just pants but a tool for the artist to convey his “fight the power” message.

For days, Lamar’s performance trended on social media – but not for the reasons previous Super Bowl halftime performers have trended. As we did for J. Lo, Shakira, The Weekend, and Death Row Records,  we debated whether Kendrick’s performance was Super Bowl-worthy.  But discourse about hidden messages and complex artistic nuance? That was a first for America. 

On Revolution

If, as Angela Davis and James Baldwin claimed, revolutionary art is to expose social issues and transform consciousness, then Samuel L. Jackson’s role as Uncle Sam sealed the deal in televising the revolution.  He first referenced the “great American game,” signaling a rigged system, complete with key players, controls, pawns, and few winners. This message is further reinforced by the Playstation controller set design. 

Next, Uncle Sam shined a light on respectability politics and policing Blackness. “Too loud. Too Reckless. Too ghetto.  Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game? Then tighten up!”  

Then came the climax of his commentary. “Oh I see you brought your homeboys with you. Scorekeeper, deduct one life.” In this comment, Jackson references the taking of Black lives.  Or perhaps even the murder of Black leaders at the first semblance of unity and community mobilization. (See Martin Luther King, Medger Evers, Fred Hampton, Malcolm X, etc.)

The revolutionary messages strung together in Lamar’s performance, combined with the revolutionary quality already present in his music, were enough to warrant their own blog posts. We’re only skimming the surface with a few examples here.  Although we may disagree in our interpretations, most who care to discuss the performance would agree Lamar spoke to the times and shined a light on social issues plaguing Black people. 

The Greatest Artist to ever do it?

If great art 1) provokes thought, 2) evokes conversation and interpretation, and 3) is revolutionary, then Kendrick Lamar is unequivocally the most significant artist to ever perform at the Super Bowl halftime show. No other artist has done all three to the level at which Lamar did with this performance. 

But how can he be the greatest when his performance was hated by so many? 

Well, that’s the thing about exceptional art – the untrained eye often overlooks it.   Even the Mona Lisa, which is valued at nearly a billion dollars and considered the national treasure of France, is unappreciated – hated even – by many.  

Half the internet felt robbed of their typical Super Bowl halftime experience.  They wanted to sing, dance and rap along to hit after hit of their favorite pop culture tunes.  They wanted to be dazzled with choreography, fireworks, and beautiful costumes.  This crowd could have cared less about a deeper message. 

Their underappreciation of Kendrick’s performance further solidified his artistry.  

Art VS. Entertainment

Now, make no mistake, the term “greatest artist” is not synonymous with “greatest entertainer.”  These are separate titles with separate standards. They just happen to sometimes converge in the music world. By crowning Kendrick Lamar as the greatest artist to ever perform at the Super Bowl, we take nothing away from the great entertainers who preceded him – Queen Bey, Prince, and the King of Pop.

But in the words of Auntie Iyanla Vanzant, “Let’s call a thing a thing, people.”  Kendrick is in a category of his own. He ain’t win that Pulitzer for nothing!

Do you agree? Can Kendrick be crowned as the greatest artist to ever do it? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.