Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Was Revolutionary, Says Samuel L. Jackson

Kendrick Lamar’s recent Super Bowl Halftime Show is being hailed as one of the most groundbreaking performances in the event’s history — and none other than Samuel L. Jackson agrees. The legendary actor, who starred in the show, described the performance as “revolutionary” during an appearance on Paloma Faith’s Mad Sad Bad podcast.

Reflecting on his experience, Jackson admitted he didn’t fully grasp the bold political statement being crafted until the final stages of rehearsal. “I didn’t know what they were doing. It was kinda trippy because it wasn’t until dress rehearsal that when I looked up and I looked on that stage and I go, ‘Oh shit, that’s a flag. Ah, fuck, we’re being revolutionaries.’ Because I wasn’t listening or paying attention,” Jackson revealed.

Throughout the performance, Jackson played a striking version of Uncle Sam, providing a narrative thread that underscored Kendrick’s powerful message. The visual of Jackson, dressed in patriotic garb, juxtaposed with Lamar’s commentary on race and America, became one of the show’s most talked-about moments.

Kendrick’s longtime creative partner Dave Free previously explained the vision behind the performance in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. “We wanted this performance to have a cinematic and theatrical element to it. We can confidently say that there’s no Super Bowl performance that’s quite like this one,” he said.

To prepare, Free and Lamar meticulously reviewed every Super Bowl halftime show in history, drawing creative inspiration from iconic performances by Beyoncé, Prince, and Michael Jackson. Yet, their goal was to deliver something wholly original. “The feel of it is Black America. What does Black America look like, and how to control that narrative of what it means to be Black in America versus what the world’s perspective of that is,” Free explained.

Rather than packing the setlist with mainstream hits, Kendrick used the opportunity to make a cultural statement. The performance leaned heavily on tracks from his latest album GNX and included several of his now-viral Drake diss tracks. “It wasn’t about playing the hits,” Free noted.

The opportunity to headline the halftime show began with a call from JAY-Z, who has played a pivotal role in organizing the event since 2020. Free admitted he wasn’t certain Lamar would be asked to perform again, having already appeared during Dr. Dre’s star-studded set three years ago. “It felt like the right time for us,” he said.

One of the most buzzworthy moments of the night came when Kendrick performed his chart-topping diss track “Not Like Us.” Though he censored the line “certified pedophile” during the live broadcast, Lamar smirked knowingly at the camera while delivering a searing verse aimed at Drake: “Say Drake, I hear you like ’em young / You better not ever go to cell block one / To any [bitch] that talk to him and they in love / Just make sure you hide your lil’ sister from him.”

Kendrick’s halftime performance was not only a visual and musical triumph but also a pointed commentary on race, power, and authenticity in American culture. With endorsements from icons like Samuel L. Jackson and widespread public discourse still swirling, Lamar has cemented his place as one of the most fearless and innovative artists to ever grace the Super Bowl stage.