Samuel L. Jackson surprises as emcee of Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl 2025 halftime show: 'You've lost your damn mind'

"Salutations, it's your Uncle Sam, and this is the great American game."

Samuel L. Jackson shocked viewers who tuned into the Super Bowl 2025 Halftime Show with that opening line. The legendary actor appeared dressed as the 19th-century symbol of American duty in his surprise role as the emcee of Kendrick Lamar's halftime performance.

Before the big game, Lamar had only announced that frequent collaborator SZA would join him on stage. Jackson's role came without notice and was much more novel, as he appeared to speak on behalf of the country, attempting to silence Lamar's more pointed political bars, mute his energy, and keep him within the confines of an "appropriate" performance.

Related: Taylor Swift booed at Super Bowl 2025 — watch her reaction

After Lamar opened with an unreleased song and followed up with the GNX track "squabble up," Jackson cut in with an admonishing, "No no no no no! Too loud, too reckless — too ghetto! Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game? Then tighten up!"

As if taking the bait, Lamar then launched into one of the most visually confrontational segments of his performance. Lamar sang two of his biggest hits, "HUMBLE." and "DNA." from his acclaimed album DAMN. while his dancers, donning red, white, and blue streetwear, arrayed in the shape of the American flag.

Jackson's "ghetto" remark may be a response to the letter sent by a group of Republican Louisana lawmakers to the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation ahead of the Super Bowl, demanding Lamar's halftime show not be "lewd" or "offensive." The letter cited "hardworking taxpayers with children who have serious concerns about the fact that past Super Bowl halftime performances have been less than family-friendly."

"Oh you brought your homeboys with you, the old culture cheat code. Scorekeeper, deduct one life," Jackson declared after shooing Lamar off his mark. Lamar then performed "peekaboo" before introducing SZA, leading to a more demure segment in which the two performed their hits "luther" and "All The Stars," a track on the original Black Panther soundtrack.

"Thats what America wants! Nice and calm. You're almost there, don't mess this... " Jackson began to say, before Lamar cut in with this culture-uniting diss track "Not Like Us." Visibly exasperated, Jackson exited the frame and never returned.

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This is Lamar's first time headlining a Super Bowl halftime show, but it isn't his first time performing in one.

He appeared as a special guest during Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre's 2022 West Coast-themed Super Bowl spectacle, where he performed his 2015 song "Alright." Stars like Taylor Swift, Adam Sandler, and President Donald Trump attended the game.

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