Samuel L. Jackson Didn’t Realize Kendrick Lamar’s Halftime Show Meaning, Until It Was Too Late

Samuel L. Jackson didn’t realize how deep Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show was until the final rehearsal, and it blew his mind.

In a recent podcast interview, Jackson talked about how he had no clue what the performance was really about at first. He showed up, said his lines, and wore his costume, not thinking much of it.

It wasn’t until dress rehearsal, when everything came together with lights, outfits, and full staging, that he looked around and realized, “Wait a minute… this is a statement.”
Jackson played “Uncle Sam,” dressed in full red, white, and blue. The show used powerful images to talk about being Black in America and how Hip-Hop fits into that story. The legendary actor said he didn’t connect the dots until he saw the flag-like setup on stage and felt the energy during rehearsal.

Jackson admitted he wasn’t really paying attention at first. Once he saw the full picture, he realized the performance wasn’t just music, it was about making people think, “I’ve been in a lot of moments like this in my life, where I end up being part of something bigger than me, even if I didn’t plan it. I guess I’m meant to be that sometimes. An agent of change.”

What a time to make such a powerful statement, as Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show broke records. More people watched his performance than even watched the game, over 133 million viewers. That’s more than Michael Jackson’s famous halftime show. Kendrick brought out stars like Samuel L. Jackson and Serena Williams, and mixed music with a message that made history