Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance at the Super Bowl on 9 February set the Internet ablaze. The Pulitzer-winning hip-hop maestro brought along an all-Black dance crew. But not everyone was doing the happy dance.
US-based political analyst Dominic Michael Tripi for one. He seems to have missed the memo that this was a celebration of Black culture in America. He took to X to express his dismay over the absence of a single White dancer, and his tweet has been viewed by over 17-million people. Some are linking his gripe to Donald Trump’s attacks on DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) policies, saying that Lamar’s dancers were selected on merit – because who needs diversity when you can have a meritocracy, right?
Kendrick’s performance was packed with symbolism, featuring A-list superstar Samuel L. Jackson dressed up as Uncle Sam – a mascot of patriotic White America and the days of slavery. As the show’s master of ceremonies, Jackson took a moment to highlight the struggles of Black Americans, humorously asking Lamar to ease up on the ‘ghetto’ vibes before the rapper launched into his hit, ‘Not Like Us.’
Let’s not forget, Black people in America have a tragic history filled with violent displacement, slavery and exploitation stretching back 400 years, not to mention modern-day police brutality against people of Colour, predominantly Black. In 2024, 28% of those killed by police were Black – despite the community representing only 13% of the population.
February is Black History Month, chosen because it’s the birthday month of civil-rights legend Frederick Douglass and the abolitionist president Abraham Lincoln. So, let’s celebrate – but please, without any drama over dance lineups!
Sources:
https://www.theroot.com/imagery-symbolism-and-backstory-you-missed-from-kendri-1851759118
https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2025-halftime-show-review-1dc2bce615ebfba0c8af0ea7c3ce4b9d
https://www.newsweek.com/kendrick-lamar-symbolic-message-super-bowl-halftime-show-2028856
https://mappingpoliceviolence.us/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/01/national-black-history-month-2025/