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Kendrick Lamar is known for weaving complex and symbolic narratives throughout his music and visuals. The imagery used in his releases is generally layered with complexities and subject to deep dives from social media users everywhere. His performance at the recent Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans was no different, as fans continue to dissect the meaning behind every frame of his set.
Of all the easter eggs that came to light post-show, one visual cue stood out. The set was divided into four quadrants, each containing a symbol: a square, triangle, cross, or circle. It quickly became apparent to viewers that the stage used for Lamar's halftime performance resembled the four buttons on Sony’s PlayStation controller.
This caused social media users everywhere to chime in with their interpretations of the symbolism behind this decision, and the deeper message behind the obvious imagery. The responses ranged from deep dissections of his persona to more lighthearted comedic takes.
Kendrick’s PlayStation Metaphor
It is widely known that nothing involved in a Kendrick set happens by accident. Kendrick intentionally used the iconic imagery to convey a message to his audience. In speaking to Wired, the Super Bowl halftime show Art Director Shelley Rodgers added some insight into the deliberate design choice.
"Each performance space was shaped like a button on a PlayStation-style controller, a performance intended to portray Lamar's life as a video game. That concept came from Lamar himself. I think the [video game theme] was symbolic, his way to reach young people, a lot of it is showing his journey, traveling through the American dream."
Thoughts on the deeper meaning behind the easter egg were varied. Some X users interpreted it as a nod to the current political landscape in America, a proverbial admission that it’s ‘game over’ with Trump being re-elected as POTUS. Others felt it was an exclamation point on his victory lap following his beef with Drake; insinuating that it’s ‘game over’ for Drizzy.
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Some fans were even insistent that a Kendrick Lamar and PlayStation collaboration was on the way, but nothing on that front is yet to be confirmed. The possibilities are endless in the gaming space, as the industry as a whole continues to dominate the media sector. Several leading artists (Travis Scott, Ariana Grande, Eminem, and more) have also famously tied up with gaming studios and appear in various forms in their games, with Fortnite being the most obvious example.
One way or another Kendrick Lamar continues to push buttons, and inches closer to cementing his final boss arc. Fans can only guess what comes next.
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