Kendrick Lamar‘s music has never been overtly political, but he’s always been against “the man.” Beyond that, his image, particularly his performances, have always had political imagery. As he has always done with his music, his recent Super Bowl half-time performance was littered with references and symbolism.
When it comes to politics, Lamar has always been more outspoken about Black issues than about party politics and similar topics. But has the visionary ever given a hint as to what party he supports?
Kendrick Lamar’s politics over the years
BE HUMBLE. @kendricklamar #AppleMusicHalftime pic.twitter.com/rjDLWMoT8w
— NFL (@NFL) February 10, 2025
Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime performance in New Orleans was steeped in political references, despite the rapper never explicitly talking about politics. Lamar has always been known as a political figure in the Black community because of his views on Black liberation. Still, those views have never been directly aligned with either the Republican or Democrat party.
Lamar started his Super Bowl performance with Samuel L. Jackson dressed as Uncle Sam, the personification of the American government. His backup dancers were dressed in red, white, and blue jumpsuits, representing the American flag, which they later arranged themselves to display. Uncle Sam’s commentary throughout the performance represents how America has viewed Black people over the years, such as when he complained about the performance being “Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto.”
This performance caused a stir among the far right and Trump supporters, who didn’t appreciate Lamar’s artistry. Former Congressman Matt Gaetz tweeted, “The halftime show you just watched is clearly the regime’s response to Trump’s historic gains with black men,” to which many people were quick to point out that Lamar was chosen to head the halftime show long before Trump won the elections. Trump himself was reported to have left his private box at the Superdome about two minutes before Lamar’s performance ended.
Lamar’s music has also been used by Black people in protests to air their frustrations with the system, and Lamar himself has never been afraid of criticizing power. His fanbase has often argued about where his political views lie, with some viewing him as libertarian, some as socialist, and others as an anarchist.
Has Kendrick ever endorsed any party?
Lamar once controversially said that he doesn’t vote in an interview with the conspiracy platform Truth is Scary. This was during the early days of his career, and his political stance hasn’t gotten any clearer since then. He has since clarified that he does believe that Americans should vote but that they should do it for the “right reasons.”
Despite that, he has never been forthcoming about who his vote goes to. During President Obama’s administration, Lamar showed support for him, and he took a direct jab at Trump in “The Heart Part 4,” when he famously said, “Trump is a chump.” His third album, To Pimp A Butterfly, made his political views clearer with its album cover featuring a group of Black men standing in front of the White House, seemingly celebrating over the body of a white judge. The song “Alright” from the album was the anthem of the Black Lives Matter movement. However, people weren’t quick to forget his conservative-leaning comments on the killings of Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin.
Ultimately, Lamar has always been more concerned with promoting specific views of Black liberation and similar topics than engaging in party politics. Like many leftists, he doesn’t seem to subscribe to the Democrat/Republican binary, but like many on the right, he has a respect for tradition. Kamala Harris used his songs “Not Like Us” and “Freedom” during her campaign, but Lamar never publicly endorsed her. It seems that the visionary rapper’s political affiliations will remain a mystery for now.
Published: Feb 11, 2025 06:24 am