Becoming the first-ever artist to win five Grammy Awards for a diss song and setting the record for the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show of all time (133.5M viewers) is all in a week’s work for Kendrick Lamar. Poetically, the record Lamar broke was Michael Jackson’s 1993 performance—the very artist Drake considers himself the contemporary version of.
By now, we’ve all saved that meme of Lamar grinning at the camera when he said, “Say Drake,” for infinite “if I text you this, just know…” scenarios. But the brilliance of Lamar’s halftime performance extends far beyond rap beef.
Sure, we’ve all been entertained by the subtle Drake jabs that have punctuated Kendrick’s victory lap(s) since last May (unlike a horse, beating a dead owl doesn’t tire, it seems). Including such moments at the Super Bowl was predictable, even inevitable. From “I want to perform their favorite song, but you know they love to sue” to Serena Williams’ crip-walking, Lamar showed no mercy.
Yet, criticisms of the show—ranging from rap beef fatigue to complaints about a lack of over-the-top theatrics—miss the mark. They stem from misplaced expectations for a rapper whose entire ethos is rooted in subliminal messaging. Lamar’s performance was rich with easter eggs addressing politics and culture, particularly in the wake of a controversial re-election, while the rap beef served more as seasoning than the main course.
Below, we break down all the references in Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show that likely went over the heads of Drake stans and Republicans alike.
Samuel L. Jackson as Uncle Sam
“Salutations! It’s your Uncle Sam, and this is the great American game,” declares Samuel L. Jackson as he opens the show. Uncle Sam, the traditional personification of the United States, is typically depicted as a white man. Lamar flips this, casting Uncle Sam as a Black man who works against his own people to thrive within American society. The portrayal evokes Jackson’s role as Stephen in Django Unchained, the house slave who internalized and enforced his white owner’s supremacy.
Throughout the performance, Uncle Sam attempts to enforce a halftime show designed to placate Trump’s America, alternately reprimanding and praising Lamar for his setlist. After “Squabble Up,” he scolds Kendrick, calling him “too loud, too reckless, too ghetto.” Yet, when family-friendly tracks like “Luther” and “All The Stars” with SZA come up, Uncle Sam approves: “That’s what America wants. Nice, calm.”
This dynamic subtly reminds the audience that Lamar isn’t J. Lo or Beyoncé and his showmanship serves a different purpose. Uncle Sam embodies how America polices Blackness and the compromises Black artists have historically been forced to make for mainstream acceptance.
Finally, the decision to cast Jackson—a man whose long history of political activism includes serving as an usher at MLK’s funeral—adds a powerful layer of irony. His involvement underscores the message, driving it home with precision and weight.
The American Flag
American imagery was woven throughout the performance, from Uncle Sam’s presence to the red, white, and blue color scheme of the show’s wardrobe. During “HUMBLE,” backup dancers formed a fragmented American flag.
The symbolism invites varied interpretations—some see the divided flag as a reflection of the country’s post-election polarization, while others connect the all-black dancer arrangement to America’s foundation on slavery. The inclusion of red and blue bandanas may also reference the Bloods and Crips, a nod to Lamar’s efforts to unite members of the rival gangs during his Pop Out show in June.
PlayStation controller
Lamar’s stage design drew inspiration from a PlayStation controller, featuring the iconic square, triangle, cross, and circle symbols. These shapes symbolized “the great American game” in which Lamar found himself trapped—a broader metaphor for the country’s political landscape.
During “Not Like Us,” backup dancers formed the PlayStation controller symbols, a detail some fans interpreted as a subtle jab at Drake, whose OVO Sound label recently signed a distribution deal with Sony.
Lamar closed the show with “tv off,” metaphorically shutting off his screen. As the performance ended, drone lights in the crowd spelled out “Game Over”—a striking double entendre signaling both the conclusion of the halftime show and, perhaps, the definitive end of his rap beef with Drake.
GNX and “Gloria”
Lamar opened the show by recreating the cover of his latest album, GNX. The car featured—a 1987 GNX—holds special significance for him; it’s reportedly the same model his father drove when bringing him home from the hospital after his birth.
Everyone and their mother was talking about Lamar’s Celine flared jeans and provocative “a” chain necklace (it represents the pgLang logo, not “A-minor”), but it was his custom Martine Rose jacket that carried the most meaning.
Embroidered with “Gloria” on the front, the jacket paid tribute to the closing track of GNX. “Gloria,” meaning “glory” in Spanish, personifies rap glory and serves as a metaphor for Lamar’s pen game—his artistry, lyricism, and creative journey.
Serena Williams
What’s better than DeMar DeRozan, former golden boy of the Toronto Raptors, appearing in the “Not Like Us” video? Serena Williams, Drake’s rumored ex, revenge crip-walking to the chorus of the same song. Her brief but explosive cameo sent social media into a frenzy. While Williams stayed silent after Drake dissed her husband on the 2022 track “Middle Of The Ocean,” this was the ultimate lick back.
Of course, a surface-level jab about an ex would be far too simple for Lamar’s calculated genius. Williams’ appearance wasn’t just a dig—it was also a nod to her and K. Dot’s shared Compton roots, as well as a reclamation of that 2012 Olympic moment when she crip-walked after winning gold. What Wimbledon critics condemned, Lamar celebrated.
Lamar continues to diabolically reinvent the diss wheel, and regardless of intent, the humiliation lands all the same. As The Guardian aptly put it in their review of his performance: “The Chiefs might have been losing by 27 points at halftime, but it was Drake at that moment who was the biggest loser in North America.”
