Between Serena Williams crip-walking on Drake’s grave and the jumbo LED PlayStation controller, did anybody really understand Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show? 

First, the show opened with a nod to Lamar’s label’s parent company, SONY, as a giant PlayStation controller replica lit up on the field. Then, actor Samuel L. Jackson, playing Uncle Sam, introduced Lamar, who began his performance with a snippet from an unreleased track before transitioning into hit song “Squabble Up.”

But what does any of this mean to the casual viewer? The show was filled to the brim with Easter eggs and social commentary, but within the short 10 minute timeframe, most of it flew over our heads as the choreography, set, storytelling and music fought for our attention. A minor oversight on Lamar’s part.

Typically, halftime shows involve short medleys of hit songs and easy-to-watch entertainment. So Lamar’s show, despite its important message and impactful motifs, fell short of the general population’s expectations.

Kendrick Lamar’s goal was to bring awareness to the impact of American idealism and racism in the music industry through Uncle Sam’s narration and detailed choreography. But despite the careful planning and importance of his message, the performance still felt lackluster due to the clashing themes. So by the time SZA finally showed up, viewers were ready for a break. 

SZA’s short appearance was just under three minutes out of the entire show, which was disappointing considering it was also one of the most anticipated moments out of the entire show. She also seemingly had nothing to do with either the Drake-Lamar feud, SONY or the storytelling aspect of the show, making it the most confusing guest star appearance of all time.

However, the halftime show wasn’t the worst, nor was it even bad. Lamar’s show was ambitious, and he risked losing engagement in exchange for condemning American idealism to his platform of 135.5 million viewers. If nothing else, Lamar was brave, and as a result, he successfully started conversations about racism and the current political landscape all while reviving his feud with Drake. So though the performance was messy, it served its purpose—it got people talking. 

The full impact of the show is impossible to take in on the first watch, which works in Lamar’s favor even if it inconveniences confused viewers. At the cost of annoying the general public, those dedicated to understanding the performance will be pleasantly surprised by the deeper meaning of the show.

Details such as the nods to his label, SONY music, with the PlayStation motif; choreography symbolizing a political divide, the portrayal of Uncle Sam as a Black man, and the numerous references to Lamar’s highly publicized feud (the “a minor” chain and Serena Williams cameo) only enrich the performance when viewers watch to analyze and not for entertainment value.

So, while Lamar and SZA’s performance was robust and attention grabbing, it did fail to engage the majority of viewers right away. But for those willing to take a deeper look, it defied expectations and was a show to remember. Unfortunately, most won’t look that far into it.