It’s Kendrick Lamar’s world and we’re all living in it. Fresh off his five Grammy wins, Lamar just performed at the 2025 Super Bowl Apple Music Halftime Show, breaking the internet for the umpteenth time since his back and forth with Drake began last year. Perhaps one of the best victory laps in rap history, Lamar brought his greatest hits to the world’s biggest stage, complete with layered imagery, striking storytelling, and energy for days.
We’re breaking down some of the most shocking and exciting moments from the performance, from surprise familiar faces making appearances to some of the moving symbolism the Pulitzer Prize winner brought to the show.
The Meaning of Uncle Sam (Jackson) and the American Dream
Uncle Sam = mainstream “white” friendly America. Introducing the performance and narrating throughout was the one and only Samuel L. Jackson. Dressed as Uncle Sam (get it?), the Academy Award-winner introduced Lamar, telling the audience, “It’s your Uncle...Sam, and this is the great American game.”
Uncle Sam...he was supposed to represent the “sanitized” America...the America that makes most of the Super Bowl viewers comfortable. That’s why he said “too ghetto” before Not Like Us started playing and he was silenced.
But there’s more. The entire performance was steeped in American imagery on an incredibly deep level, from dancers dressed in the colors of the American flag to Jackson narrating Lamar’s journey playing the “Great American game” (in this case, being Black in the United States of America). The impact of having arguably one of the greatest Black actors of all time appear as one of the most dominating symbols representing not only this country but its government was nothing short of brilliant and not lost on those watching.
Let’s go back to that moment that immediately resonated with viewers. As previously mentioned, Jackson’s “Uncle Sam” said that Lamar’s performance was “too ghetto,” telling him to “tighten up” before flashing back to his dancers taking the shape of the American flag. As one user wrote on X, the creativity alone serves as a perfect example as why Kendrick won that Pulitzer in the first place.
Kendrick References Those Lawsuits
In one of the most jaw-dropping moments of the performance, Lamar went there. Naturally, fans were waiting for “Not Like Us” perhaps more than any song, Lamar’s Grammy-winning Drake-aimed hit record, and now one of the biggest diss tracks of all time. While teasing the song earlier in the performance, the rapper broke the fourth wall, telling his dancers that he “wanted to make a move” during the show.
He then said, “I want to perform their favorite song, but you know they love to sue.” Naturally, this sent the internet into a frenzy, with fans shocked at just how frank Lamar was at that moment. In case you forgot, last month Drake filed a defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group, claiming that UMG approved and helped promote the “false factual allegation” that the “Headlines” rapper is a “certified pedophile,” as Lamar raps in “Not Like Us.”
Much of the performance as a whole is Lamar getting the last laugh, as he has every step of the way in this rap battle, but something about the way he straight up called out the still-ongoing lawsuit felt truly shocking, an electrifying moment in one of the biggest hip-hop stories in recent years.
SZA’s Reign Continues
Of course, Lamar couldn’t tackle the Super Bowl without one of his most frequent collaborators, SZA. The R&B hitmaker joined Lamar onstage and performed some of their greatest hits together, from their brand new record “Luther” to their iconic “Black Panther” anthem, “All The Stars.”
Just like in their various songs, SZA compliments Lamar perfectly, as the two came together to celebrate a stand-out last year for the both of them (while Lamar owned the rap charts in 2024, SZA dropped her highly anticipated SOS Deluxe to rave reviews and massive sales, while also landing the number 1 movie in the country last month with “One of Them Days”). The performance also offered a sneak peek of what the two have to offer when they hit the road later this year for their co-headlining “Grand National Tour,” in what is already one of the most highly anticipated tours in quite some time.
Not Like Us’ Shines Brighter Than Ever
The moment we were all waiting for hit harder than even we could have anticipated. When Lamar finally started “Not Like Us,” you could almost feel the energy in New Orleans and in homes watching across the country as the rapper performed his pulsing hit song. With help from his stellar dancers, the song got the live moment it truly deserves.
Looking directly to the camera, Lamar addressed Drake as he does in the song, rapping, “Say Drake, I hear you like ‘em young.” While Lamar omitted “pedophile” in this rendition, the song’s impact was not diminished in the slightest, especially when the entire stadium seemed to erupt and chant “A minor” along with him.
Is that...Serena Willams?!
No, you didn’t imagine it...Serena Williams appeared in the performance as well. When Lamar finally performed “Not Like Us,” the camera at one point quickly moved over to Serena, who is seen dancing along to the song. For context, Williams has a storied history with Drake, as the two dated years ago.
Lamar seemingly references this very fact in the song, rapping, “From Alondra down to Central—better not speak on Serena.” How fitting was it, then, for the camera to turn on the tennis legend right when that lyric hit. The moment also is a nod to her iconic moment when she crip walked at Wimbledon, creating a true full circle moment for the legendary sports star.
As one user wrote, “Serena Williams crip walking on National television to a diss record for one of her exes. You cannot make this up.”
Check out the full performance below: