The Underdog vs. The Incumbent: Black Culture Built the Super Bowl

The Super Bowl has never been just about football. It’s America’s favorite pastime, yes—but more than that, it reflects the cultural moment we’re living in. This year, the game isn’t just about touchdowns and trophies; it’s a microcosm of the larger battle Black creators, athletes, and artists have fought for generations—battle for recognition, a struggle for respect, a fight for power.

Tonight’s matchup carries weight far beyond the scoreboard, and when you step back to really look at the dynamics playing out on and off the field, the symbolism is impossible to ignore.

Hip-hop just witnessed one of its biggest cultural shifts in years: the long-debated battle between Kendrick Lamar and Drake. And let’s be clear—Kendrick won. He dropped a #1 diss track, an album that topped the charts without the diss song, and walked away with three Grammys, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Meanwhile, Drake, the longtime industry favorite, resorted to legal tactics that may block Kendrick’s song from being performed.

It wasn’t just about a rap battle, though. It was a battle over what defines Blackness. Kendrick, unapologetically Black, uses his platform to tell Black stories with depth and nuance. Drake, forever straddling the line, built his career on proximity to Black culture while ensuring he remained palatable for the mainstream. One prioritized authenticity, and the other, acceptance.

That tension—between those who fully embrace Blackness and those who navigate its acceptability—isn’t just playing out in hip-hop. It’s happening on the football field, too.

Jalen Hurts isn’t just a quarterback. He’s a leader who stands on business when it comes to uplifting Black communities and Black women. He carries himself with intention, understanding the responsibility that comes with being in his position. Across from him stands Patrick Mahomes, the reigning champion. Mahomes is mixed-race and undeniably talented, but his family’s open alignment with right-wing and MAGA politics raises real questions. While he hasn’t explicitly endorsed those views, his silence speaks volumes—especially at a time when racial equity is actively being dismantled.

The Super Bowl game is their fourth matchup, but the stakes feel more prominent than ever. Hurts, still the underdog, is fighting for his first Super Bowl win. Mahomes, the incumbent, is looking to cement his dynasty and make the Chiefs the first team in history to win three consecutive championships. Like in hip-hop, the pattern is clear: the underdog, rooted in community, versus the establishment’s golden child.

And sitting in the stadium, watching it all unfold, is Donald Trump, the same man leading the charge to dismantle DEI across the federal government. He is the same man whose base believes Black success is only legitimate if it conforms to their rules. His presence at this game feels far too on-brand for the America we’re living in.

A week ago, Beyoncé did what should have happened four times before—she won Album of the Year at the Grammys for Cowboy Carter. Despite being the most decorated artist in Grammy history, she became only the fourth Black woman ever to win the award. And what did she win for? An album that directly challenged the erasure of Black people from country music, a genre Black artists created in the first place.

What Beyoncé did with Cowboy Carter is what Black people have always done—created something undeniable. Only this time, it will not be taken, repackaged, and sold back to us without credit. Black culture is American culture. From music to sports to fashion to language, we shape the very foundation of what this country celebrates. But unless we play by the rules set by white institutions, our contributions are diminished, erased, or outright stolen.

Which brings us to the Super Bowl itself.

Most people don’t realize that the Super Bowl halftime show as we know it only exists because of Black innovation. Back in 1992, In Living Color—the legendary sketch comedy show created by the Wayans family—aired a live halftime special during the Super Bowl, pulling 20 million viewers away from the game. The NFL had no choice but to revamp its approach, eventually turning halftime into the major spectacle we see today.

That moment was yet another reminder of how Black creativity forces institutions to evolve, whether they want to or not. And tonight, that legacy continues, with none other than Kendrick Lamar headlining the halftime show—a full-circle moment that reinforces the power of Black artists in spaces that weren’t designed for their creative prowess.

This Isn’t Just a Game—It’s a Statement

The parallels are too clear to ignore.

• Kendrick vs. Drake.

• Hurts vs. Mahomes.

• Beyoncé vs. the country music industry.

• Black creators vs. the institutions that depend on them but hesitate to give them power.

And hovering over it all is Trump, the ultimate reminder of a system that works overtime to undermine the very people who fuel this country’s culture.

Tonight’s Super Bowl isn’t just entertainment. It’s a statement. Black excellence is undeniable. Black culture is unstoppable. And no matter how much gatekeepers try to erase, contain, or discredit it, we will always find a way to remind the world exactly who built this.