This content is protected against AI scraping.
On the second Sunday of February, the impossible has been done in more ways than one. All eyes were on New Orleans as Super Bowl LIX took place in the Caesars Superdome. On one half of the historic evening, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs and brought the Lombardi Trophy back to Philly. The Birds defeated the Chiefs 40 to 22 and stopped Kansas City from being the first team to earn a Super Bowl “three-peat.” At the helm of the title-winning Eagles was quarterback and Super Bowl MVP, Jalen Hurts. Hurts acquired his first Super Bowl title, throwing 17 for 22 for 221 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Hurts was joined by running back Saquon Barkley, cornerback Cooper DeJean, wide receiver AJ Brown and more who brought pride to the City of Brotherly Love. On the other hand, you have the defeated Chiefs led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Keep in mind, Mahomes is in the conversation to be considered the greatest of all time. With a performance like last night, that surely has to leave a mark. Mahomes went 21 for 32, throwing for 257 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Mahomes was joined on the field by Taylor Swift’s lover (and Chiefs tight end) Travis Kelce. Other Chiefs on the field with the two include running back Isaiah Pacheco, rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy and more. The game pleased fans who wanted to see an end to the Red Kingdom Dynasty as they have cast a Patriot like plague over the NFL. Fans of the other 31 teams across the league wanted nothing more to seeing the success filled squad in red and gold fail. In the end, the better team prevailed and it goes to show that eagles always fly higher than arrowheads.
On the other cultural hemisphere of the big game was the halftime performance from Kendrick Lamar. Lamar rightfully earned his spot on the biggest stage as he dominated the rap game over the past year and emerged as its king. Notably from his colossal feud with fellow rapper, Drake. Earlier in the week leading up to the game, Lamar swept the Grammys with his diss track against Drake, “Not Like Us.” The song catapulted to the top of the music world as it has done things a rap song has never done before. He would go on to release a surprise album following his headlining single, GNX. These moments and more led to Lamar performing alongside SZA in NOLA for the game. The show was chock full of symbolism. The performance featured actor Samuel L. Jackson portraying Uncle Sam, representing a white America acting as a control freak over music and the modern media trying to silence and censor African American work. The show consisted of sets that portrayed Playstation symbols and city streets, a street illegal GNX and background dancers in American colors. Lamar had used this monumental platform to continue to diss Drake in what was sure to terminate his rival for good. Many references were made throughout the show. Notably, Lamar “pump faked” the performing of “Not Like Us” as he has been advised to not perform it due to the ongoing defamation lawsuit Drake brought to Lamar about it. Yet, he defied it all and brought a show that would change the game forever. Lamar used the show as his launching pad for his upcoming Grand National tour with SZA. Lamar became the first ever solo hip hop artist to perform the Super Bowl halftime show. This halftime performance from Lamar was what the world needed more than ever. It was a moment of protest and a stand taken against the injustice and prejudice still lingering in today’s America. He showed that music still has power in today’s society and that the world is still built on song. All in all, Lamar put on more than a show, he displayed a revolution.
In the end, Super Bowl LIX was filled with moments that will go on to change the games of football and music now and forever. One could even call it a euphoria.
Leave a Reply