Samuel L. Jackson made a surprise appearance during Kendrick Lamar‘s Super Bowl Halftime Show.
The music star became the first solo rapper to headline the event last night (February 9), with the likes of SZA and Serena Williams popping up during the performance.
The show was introduced by Jackson, who appeared dressed as symbolic American figure Uncle Sam. “Salutations! It’s your uncle, Sam. And this is the great, American game,” he began before Lamar kicked off the performance.
UNCLE SAM
#SBLIX #SuperBowlLIX pic.twitter.com/WN547n2lRe
— Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) February 10, 2025
After the first section, Jackson returned to the stage as his Uncle Sam complained: “Too loud, too reckless, too… ghetto. Mr Lamar, do you really know how to play the game? Then tighten up!”
After another section, he further grumbled: “Ah, see you brought your homeboys with you? You cultured cheat code. Scorekeeper, deduct one life.”
Following Lamar’s duet with SZA, Uncle Sam seemed more content as he declared: “Yeah that’s what I’m talking about. That’s what America wants, nice and calm. You’re almost there. Don’t mess this –,” he continued before being interrupted by Lamar making good on his tease to perform Drake diss track ‘Not Like Us’.
Earlier in the show, Lamar poked fun at Drake for suing Universal Music Group over the song’s success, saying: “I want to play their favourite song but you know they like to sue.”
Kendrick Lamar’s Full Super Bowl Halftime Show performance #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/OxZED0YXDn
— popculture (@notgwendalupe) February 10, 2025
During the show, a member of Lamar’s dance crew was escorted off after unfurling the Palestinian flag adorned with the words “Sudan” and “Gaza” on it.
Lamar’s performance drew a mixed response from fans, some labelling it “a masterpiece” while others called it the “worst halftime performance ever”. A meme was also born after the rapper was seen smirking for a second time as he rapped the ‘Not Like Us’ line: “Say Drake, I hear you like ’em young”.
In other news, last month Jamie Foxx revealed that his Django Unchained co-star Leonardo DiCaprio felt uncomfortable saying racial slurs for the film, though Jackson convinced him.
“The subject matter. The N-word, specifically. Leo had a hard time saying the N-word,” Foxx said in an interview recently. “We’re doing a read and Leo says, ‘Hey, guys. Cut! I just can’t do this. This is not me.’ Samuel L. Jackson goes, ‘Say that shit, motherfucker! It’s just another Tuesday. Fuck them’”.
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