So I found myself this week, like so many others, marvelling at the masterful performance of Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl halftime. From the political symbolism, through to the brilliant choreography, artistic direction and cinematography, it would be an understatement to say this was one brilliantly executed show. And that's before we get into his mastery of vocal control throughout all of 13 minutes, and I won't even start on the diss on Drake. Ok maybe just a little bit of indulgence on that one...
The whole performance, coupled with the public recognition and accolades received for his previous albums, got me mulling about the astrological make up of someone with clear lyrical prowess and an inclination towards challenging the status quo, authority and cultural norms. I mean, he is the first rap musician to win the esteemed Pulitzer prize in 2018, which was, since its inception in 1943, always awarded to classical or jazz musicians.
And right before I even searched for his date of birth, I thought surely - surely - Mercury, trickster god and ruler of Gemini and Virgo which preside over communication, storytelling and language, would have to feature prominently. What I mean by that is that either Mercury is strongly placed i.e. it is angular, a chart ruler or makes strong connections with other planets or in a stellium; or, the signs Gemini and/or Virgo are prominent in the chart (angular house rulers or he has planet(s) in these signs).
Thankfully, not only do we have Kendrick's time of birth, but it is also AA rated: meaning the time given is accurate as sourced from a birth certificate (I found this via astro.com). This is very important - and to be honest, without an accurate time of birth I doubt I would be writing this. Let's proceed.
Straight off the bat, we notice his Sun sign is in Gemini - tick. Not only that, - and perhaps even more importantly - his Ascendant is Libra, and his chart ruler, Venus, is also in Gemini - big tick. That is very significant, for the chart ruler - as the name suggest - is of paramount importance in a person's life, being one of three key astrological factors (along with the Sun and Moon) that are considered first, before we explore the chart further.
Gemini: communicative, quick witted, adaptable, changeable, dualistic, sociable, outgoing, curious, restless
Crucially, his Ascendant makes a really nice trine with the Sun, within less than 3 degree orb: he certainly is comfortable expressing who he really is to the world; his public image is a genuine reflection of his core identity, which requires artistic expression (Venus rules the arts). Whereas Gemini is quick-witted, smart, communicative, curious, mentally agile, and, well, mercurial, this is channelled via a Libran Ascendant, lending his expression a refined and artistic filter. But make no mistake about it: Libra is far from light and easy-going, as pop astrology might like us to believe. It's a cardinal sign, for goodness sake, so it has no qualms about taking initiative and dishing out the truth - and that includes the very harsh truth - in order to restore justice and fairness, true to its symbolism (the scales). I mean, some of the lyrics about Drake are absolutely cutting and even vicious at times.
So, how about trickster god Mercury?!
There he is, right at the top of the chart i.e. in the public arena, at 16 degrees Cancer. I would even argue it is conjunct his Midheaven, which stands for vocational ambition and public recognition. Although it is a wide orb of 10 degrees, it's still a significant placement, at least in my opinion.
What's more, Mercury is closely conjunct Mars, also in Cancer - planet of drive and ambition, will power, competition, assertion and fighting. Note that I am using Placidus houses above, but if I was to use Whole Houses, the whole of 10th house would be Cancer, placing both his Midheaven and the Mercury-Mars conjunction in the 10th.
So here we have Mercury, God of communication and messenger to the Gods, buddying up with Mars, the God of war, courage and warriors: whoever takes on Kendrick will face the wrath of his verbal arsenal and powerful mental ability, and learn the true meaning of the saying, the pen is mightier than the sword. Astrologer Sue Tomkins writes about the hard Mars-Mercury aspects as the "cut the crap" combination...
"the type wants things to be clear, concise, sharp and honest. Don't look to a Mercury-Mars person for tact, gentleness or delicacy of expression... Mentally these people are quick, incisive and competitive. They assert themselves through language and protect themselves by cultivating speed of thought."
To take this one further, the ruler of Cancer, the Moon, is in his 5th house of creativity, and thankfully makes a nice cosy trine to both Mercury and Mars: sharp, fearless communication via a creative outlet is his vocational calling, his life dharma, no two ways about it.
Finally, regarding his political message: Kendrick's Sun is in close opposition (less than 2 degree orb) to his Uranus. Uranus stands for revolutions, rebels, unconventionality, disruptions and the desire to break free. Strong Sun-Uranus contacts are the signature for anti-establishment rebels and revolutionaries. This can be both positive - via unconventional or unique creative expression and progressive reform - or negative, via destructive actions at any cost and regardless of the impact to wider society.
The 5th house - house of creativity - where the Moon, ruler of his MC (vocation) is placed - has Aquarius on the cusp. Aquarius has Saturn as its traditional ruler, and Uranus as its modern ruler: his means of creative expression and output must address, process and ultimately make peace with that Saturn-Uranus conjunction, particularly since the Moon forms a difficult/challenging aspect (square) with this conjunction.
Saturn-Uranus make a challenging partnership: Saturn is all about tradition and conformity, and Uranus is all about revolution and originality: Tomkins notes this combination shows up in both the charts of those who fight for change and those who firmly resist it, though she points out both attitudes can co-exist. The blue, red and white dress of the dancers at the Super Bowl performance both united to symbolise the American flag, but at the same time were arranged to show it divided - a brilliant stroke of visual symbolism.
Despite the huge public recognition he has received so far, I doubt this is the culmination of his career, or the last we've heard from him. Uranus is now travelling through the last degrees of Taurus, and will enter Gemini middle of this year. It will eventually make a conjunction with his chart ruler, Venus, in 2027, but will be felt long before that, starting with a brief spell in August/September 2026 and culminating in the middle of 2027 through to middle of 2028, courtesy of its retrograde motion.
I see this transit will serve to amplify his creative expression in new and unusual, original work - both freeing yet also highly innovative. With regards to creativity, astrologer Robert Hand writes about this transit:
"Venus also rules creative art. If you are involved in an artistic activity, you will brim over with new ideas. This can be a very creative transit, although you may have to wait until it is over to integrate what you have learned into your regular techniques."
Until next time,
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