Muscle car at Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show had a deeper meaning, Michigan connection – MLive.com
Kendrick Lamar performs during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)APKendrick Lamar’s halftime performance at the Super Bowl was rife with Easter eggs, including an entourage of well-scripted and influential celebrity appearances, symbolic messages through lyrics, choreography, and larger-than-life set designs ultimately making a very memorable showcase.It highlighted Lamar, a Pulitzer-Prize winner, for the master lyricist and poet he is, all while putting Hip Hop and Black America on his back, standing strong and leaving viewers with plenty to unpack.Maybe you saw the Squid Games-feeling set at the start with a Playstation controller lighting up the cheat code for “full armor and health.” Maybe it was dancers dressed in a split American flag as he performed, “Humble,” that caught your eye.Or it was the beef with Drake on full display as he performed “Not Like Us”, teasing it throughout the performance and delivering a memorable set, complete with Serena Williams’ crip walk and an appearance from SZA, as well as Samuel L. Jackson portraying Uncle Sam.But we’re not here to decipher the whole performance. Instead, we want to highlight one particular piece — the car.One thing is sure, the car he was seen kneeling atop at the beginning of the entire set was absolutely intentional, and its origins are both deeply rooted in Lamar’s life and in Michigan automotive history.That car was a 1987 Buick GNX, a car that keenly represents this moment in Lamar’s career.RELATED: Why a Super Bowl halftime performer was detained, banned from NFL events after unfurling a flagWell, it was made to look like a GNX.The actual car on stage is a Grand National, the parent car to the GNX, and was outfitted and modified for the occasion to look identical to a GNX — the car we are here to celebrate.At the start of the halftime show, the stage was lit up as dancers emerged by the dozen from inside of the black vintage Buick. Lamar name-checked the GNX he was standing in front of, referencing his hit-making album, as well as his 1980s roots.When it was originally released in 1987, the Buick GNX was known to outpace even the fastest Ferrari — back when Buick was producing high-speed sports cars.In the early ’80s, NASCAR champion Darrell Waltrip won consecutive championships in 1981 and 1982 racing Buick Regals.It was considered one of the quickest and most visually distinctive cars of the 1980s, and remains an icon of American muscle to collectors and fans.Initially, only 500 1987 Buick GNXs were created, in honor of the NASCAR race, the Daytona 500, according to Motortrend.com, a leading website in automotive news and trends.Only 547 were ever manufactured, and General Motors made them in Pontiac.In the late 1980s, GNX, which stands for Grand National Experimental, cost just under $30,000. Today, the car sells for $170,000.The last Buick GNX was built on December 11, 1987, and plays a significant role in automotive history.It was the last Grand National built, marking the end of General Motors’ mid-size rear-wheel drive G Platform.It also was symbolic, marking the closure of GM’s Pontiac assembly plant, which produced millions of cars since it first opened in 1927.The final car off of the line, No. 547, was prominently displayed by Buick at the 2003 Buick Centennial in Flint.So why did Kendrick Lamar choose this particular car for the Super Bowl halftime show?Lamar revealed that his father drove him home from the hospital, the day he was born on June 17, 1987, in a 1987 Buick Regal. The Buick Regal is the parent model of the Buick GNX.RELATED: Kendrick Lamar & SZA announce 13 “Grand National Tour” Europe/UK datesThe GNX has such significant sentimental value that Lamar named his most recent album after it — an album, named “GNX,” which he dropped in November 2024 without warning.Lamar’s album also features a song titled “gnx.”At the 67th Grammy Awards, the rapper touted five honors. All of them were for his diss track to Drake called “Not Like Us,” which garnered record of the year, song of the year, best rap performance, best rap song and best music video.The long-awaited battle seemed to have ended as fans on either side acknowledged Lamar’s triumph, through the Grammy wins and especially after the Super Bowl halftime performance.The Kendrick Lamar Super Bowl halftime show drew 133.5 million viewers, making it the most-watched in NFL history.Read more on MLive.com: Travis Kelce reveals key factor in retirement decision after Super Bowl lossWhat the Detroit Lions can learn (or steal) from Super Bowl champion EaglesSuper Bowl 2026 odds: Detroit Lions among the early favoritesEx-Michigan star undecided about retirement after winning second Super BowlDonald Trump roasts Taylor Swift after fans appear to boo her at the Super BowlEx-Lions DB, now an Eagle, talks defensive showing vs. Chiefs in Super BowlSuper Bowl LIX picks from Detroit Lions fans: ‘Rooting for an asteroid’If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. 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