Kendrick Lamar may have said “Turn this TV off,” but America couldn’t stop watching.
Lamar, a Pulitzer Prize winning musician, took the stage at the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show Feb. 9 and left fans with not only one of the biggest moments of his career, but varying opinions on his anticipated performance.
Georgeanne Johnson, a freshman studying astrophysics and long time Kendrick Lamar fan, explained how when it comes to a Super Bowl performance, people from a range of audiences in sports and music tune in to watch and weigh in on the halftime show.
“I know Kendrick is a visionary, and there’s always a message behind everything he does,” she said.
She described Lamar’s performance as “a jaw-dropper,” specifically when he said Drake’s name into the camera during his performance of his hit song and diss track “Not Like Us.”
Lamar’s performance caught the eye of the production professionals as well. Ashley Jackson, a production assistant for the 2019 Super Bowl Halftime Show, said Super Bowl LIX’s showcase was challenging and impressive to pull off given the time constraints.
“Timing is a headache and a hassle,” she said. “Being part of a field crew and being able to get all of those moving pieces on the field at a certain time and having a limited time to break down all the equipment before the start of the football game is challenging.”
Jackson thought the set design was incredible.
“I love that Kendrick had his own footprint and artistic vision,” she said.
Jackson emphasized the hard work and dedication it takes to put set design together and “wrangle talent,” but overall, what makes a great halftime performance is a combination of the fans, lighting and set design.
“It’s not just about talent,” she said. “But background as well.”
While production quality plays a vital role in the halftime performance, according to Jackson, Jessica Francis would argue the event speaks beyond sports and entertainment but for society as a whole. Jessica Francis, the director of engaged learning and outreach in the UF sports management department, explained choosing Lamar as the performer this year added up and solidified the impact he’s made on the entertainment industry.
Francis ’professional career has been spent understanding the sports landscape.
“Sports evolves based on what is happening in our society culturally,” Francis said. “The same goes for the halftime show. It is capturing a moment in history, and I think we have seen that over the years with different elements that are involved.”
She applauded the NFL for becoming more intentional over the years with whom it selects to perform at the halftime show.
“If the halftime performance reflects what is happening in society," she said. “Kendrick isn’t a ‘happy artist’ which is why he was a great choice this year.”
Jordan Drew Bryant is a fourth-year public relations student.
