This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Jeanny Sánchez Gómez. Find them on Instagram at @jeanny_sanchez. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Music and politics have gone hand in hand for decades and standing on top of a car during his Super Bowl halftime show, Kendrick Lamar is the latest in a long line of artists to showcase this. Whether it is making protest anthems, using visuals to create a message, or speaking up for marginalized communities, music has and probably always will be political in one way or another.
Kendrick Lamar and the SuperBowl Halftime Show
In a layered performance during what could be considered the most American event to exist, Kendrick Lamar used his allotted time to perform some of his biggest hits backdropped by some poignant symbolism to show the current state of the country, and much like the most recent election it left the country divided.
“The revolution about to be televised. You picked the right time but the wrong guy”, stated Lamar early on in his performance. This a clear call back to Gil Scott-Heron’s “The Revolution Will not be Televised”, a poem written in 1971 urging people to realize change won’t be given to us by corporations, but by a change in mindset. Backed by dancers dressed in patriotic colors, and interjected by Samual L. Jackson dressed as Uncle Sam, the personification of America, yelling at Lamar to play the “game” and calling him “Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto!”, the performance was more of a critique of the racism being exacerbated by sitting President Trump than a diss on Drake, although we did get some of that too. Those 13 minutes have already left an impact, with both news and content creators breaking down the meaning of his performance.
The 67th Grammy Awards
Just a week earlier at the Grammy, similar callouts were seen during acceptance speeches. Lady Gaga, a long-time advocate for LGBTQ+ rights used her time during her acceptance speech to recognize the trans community after becoming one of President Trump’s executive orders to roll back protections. Chappell Roan also spoke out about trans rights earlier that night and then spoke out about the music industry preying on young artists. Shakira dedicated her award to “all my immigrant brothers and sisters in this country. You are loved, you are worth it, and I will always fight with you.” Another political call out after mass immigration raids were carried out throughout the country. Even small moments like this create a conversation about the issues at hand simply because the general population cares about their favorite singer.
Bad Bunny’s Ode to Puerto Rico
The first week of 2025 also saw the release of Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR Más FOtoS. An album written as a love letter to the island, it did not shy away from speaking on the gentrification problem in Puerto Rico. Releasing a short film that provided a glimpse into what it feels like living in a gentrified neighborhood, the album started a conversation about the neocolonialism present there. In, “LO QUE LE PASO A HAWAII”, a slow stripped-back serenade that he uses as a warning of what is to come for Puerto Ricans if they enter statehood.
Quieren quitarme el río y también la playa (They want to take my river and the beach as well)
Quieren el barrio mío y que abuelita se vaya (They want my nieghborhood and for grandma to leave)
No, no suelte’ la bandera ni olvide’ el lelolai ( Don’t stop holding the flag and don’t forget the Lelolai)
Que no quiero que hagan contigo lo que le pasó a Hawái ( I don’t want what happened to Hawaii to happen to you)
Major moments for political statements in music and it’s only February.
Beyoncé’s “Freedom” and Kamala Harris’ Presidential Bid
Originally released in 2016, “Freedom” is filled with references to racism, slavery, and police brutality lending itself to be used by plenty of activists over the years. And in 2024 after making history after becoming the first Black woman to be a major party’s presidential nominee, Harris used the same song as her campaign anthem. The song already had a significant political stance upon release, and with Harris’ campaign, it was back in the limelight.
Childish Gambino’s “This Is America”
Released only two years after “Freedom”, Gambino’s “This Is America” release was ingrained into the back of my eyelids. Everywhere you went, you could hear someone talk about it and anytime you hopped on social media during that time you were more than likely to see posts breaking down all the symbolism he used in the music video. Highlighting gun violence and the fact that many Americans conveniently ignore societal issues going on around them, this song is so overtly political that you would be surprised if anyone missed the point.
Taylor Swift’s “The Man”
As a Swiftie, I’ve always been aware that Taylor Swift shied away from talking about politics and after watching her documentary Miss Americana I understood why. After years of silence, she became more outspoken about her political stance, and on her album, Lover had a few songs that spoke about some social issues. Critiquing gender inequality and the sexism that women face in their workplace in “The Man” amid the MeToo Movement which helped raise awareness. She also released “You Need To Calm Down”, which spoke out about the hate in the world specifically talking about cyberbullying and homophobia. While the song did receive backlash after some saw it as performative, this kind of message from such a huge worldwide artist is still a big deal.
All these are examples just from recent years and the political movements that we Zillennials have already witnessed. Now of course there’s always going to be discourse about whether or not artists should even make their political opinions known, but if you’re like me it only makes you love your favorite artists more. Whether artists are writing protest songs, using their platforms to promote social movements, performing at political campaigns, or backing presidential nominees, it is getting hard to ignore just how tightly intertwined music and politics are.
Do you think music and politics should be kept separate? Leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts.
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