In a social media-driven world, it often seems everyone’s paying attention to something else. So it is particularly impressive when one captures the entire force of the internet, which is exactly what Kendrick Lamar did with his Super Bowl LIX halftime show performance.
Lamar’s performance and the media’s response exemplify live television’s unique power to spread messages and unite people.
After Lamar took home four Grammys for his controversial and record-breaking hit, “Not Like Us,” Lamar’s halftime show provided a perfect conclusion to what may be the most important year in his career.
However, Lamar did not just use his performance as a victory lap. He used his platform to make a statement on the denigration of Black Americans’ contribution to the culture.
From the red, white and blue color palette to the guest appearances by Black icons Samuel L. Jackson, as America’s conscious “Uncle Sam,” and Serena Williams, the highly publicized nature of the Super Bowl ensured that millions of Americans would hear his message.
For the audience, choosing to watch the performance meant engaging with a political issue foreign to many. Such a feat can rarely be accomplished on social media as our feeds use algorithms to align the content we see with the opinions we already hold.
Television, however, is a shared medium. The content streaming on one channel is the same across America, serving as the ideal vehicle to spread a new message.
Josephine Fisher, a first-year student at the University of Minnesota, appreciated the half-time show for its political slant.
“I love that he was willing to step out on such a big public stage and make this statement when you know it is so controversial and could be considered dangerous,” Fisher said.
I remember being bombarded with texts from my mother the day after the Super Bowl praising Lamar, an artist she was unfamiliar with prior, for his political commentary.
She especially loved Serena Williams’ appearance and proudly explained to my younger siblings the significance of her crip walk. The dance move referenced her background from Compton, California, and the racist hate she received from the media as a result.
My mother and my siblings’ engagement with the show represents television’s ability to unite people across generations.
Fisher said she recalls seeing discussions of the performance all over social media.
“It was like everywhere,” Fisher said. “I think I’m still definitely seeing it in a youth presence, even though it’s been a few weeks.”
The performance dominated social media for the following weeks, but discussions did not just occur over the internet. Everyone, regardless of race, socioeconomic status and gender, had something to say about the show, creating a shared experience for all who watched.
This is increasingly rare in a world where algorithms determine what media we will consume at a given moment.
Hannah Moddes, a first-year student at the University, said the layers of meaning in the performance played a role in the cultural significance of the show. Moddes said the performance was cathartic for audiences experiencing the rise of right-wing extremism in the U.S.
“People talked about it because of the messaging of it and because it was a therapeutic charge for now, and the message itself was very specific,” Moddes said. “They talked about the impact of having the Uncle Sam character and getting what everything meant.”
The Grammys aired the week before the halftime show, amassing over 15 million live viewers and similarly platformed important social issues. The telecast served as a fundraiser and raised over $24 million for wildfire relief.
Donations on that scale were only achievable through television, as short-form content lacks the reach necessary to accumulate that many donations. Through its reach and accessibility, television can bring people together toward a common cause.
Celebrities like Chappell Roan and Lady Gaga used their Grammy acceptance speeches to highlight important issues.
Gaga, while accepting the award for best pop duo performance, voiced support for the transgender community. Amidst the threat the Trump administration poses toward trans people, television provides an avenue for influential people to speak out for the community in front of a large audience.
Roan used her acceptance speech for Best New Artist to advocate for record labels to provide health insurance and livable wages for their artists. For people not in the music industry, this is likely the first time they were made aware of this issue.
The Grammys not only celebrated artists but also spread awareness of important issues on a mass scale.
Gaga and Roan’s speeches left huge impacts on social media, being widely discussed in the following days.
Although Moddes chooses not to engage in these conversations on social media, she said she understands the appeal.
“It is a sense of community that comes out of having people talk to or argue with,” Moddes said. “They like being heard, and you can do that when you’re in a comment section.”
Even if you do not have the platform that Lamar or Gaga have, mass media events like these even the playing field for others to share their perspectives to people who have developed a new understanding.
Televised events are culturally significant as they uplift new perspectives, spread awareness and bring people together to yell the lyrics of “Not Like Us.”
