“Uncle Sam” was Samuel L. Jackson, in character, opening Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show. He introduced Lamar with a line about “the great American game,” then returned during the performance to deliver a pointed in-character criticism.
Who was Uncle Sam in Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show?
He was Samuel L. Jackson. Dressed as the familiar personification of the United States, Jackson appeared at the start of the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show and introduced Lamar. The Associated Press reported the opening line: “Salutations! It’s your uncle, Sam, and this is the great American game!” Associated Press, February 9, 2025.
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The show took place on Sunday, February 9, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The NFL and Apple announced the event and venue. Apple’s announcement.
What did Uncle Sam say during the show?
Jackson’s first words set up the performance as “the great American game.” He later returned after “Squabble Up” and, still playing Uncle Sam, criticized Lamar’s set as “too loud, too unruly, too ghetto,” according to CBS Sports’ February 9, 2025 recap.
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That exchange gives the character a role beyond a brief introduction. The staging and dialogue support a reading of Uncle Sam as a satirical authority figure policing how the performance should sound and behave. That is an interpretation of what viewers saw and heard, not a confirmed statement of the creators’ intent.
What songs did Kendrick Lamar perform at Super Bowl LIX?
The Associated Press reported a 13-minute performance with ten songs. Five were from GNX; SZA joined Lamar for two tracks. The set list was:
- “Squabble Up”
- “Humble”
- “DNA”
- “Euphoria”
- “Man at the Garden”
- “Peekaboo”
- “Luther” featuring SZA
- “All the Stars” featuring SZA
- “Not Like Us”
- “TV Off”
The AP also identified DJ Mustard and Serena Williams among the show’s appearances. Associated Press, February 9, 2025.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why did the show frame the performance as an American game?
Uncle Sam is a recognizable national symbol, and Jackson’s “great American game” line connected that image to the performance. His later rebuke—especially the phrase “too loud, too unruly, too ghetto”—can be read as part of the same theatrical conceit: a figure of authority attempting to set limits on Lamar’s performance. The dialogue allows that satirical reading, but does not by itself establish one definitive political message or explain the creators’ intent.
Apple’s event announcement presented Lamar as a major cultural figure. Rachel Newman, Apple’s global head of content and editorial, said, “Throughout his career, Kendrick Lamar hasn’t met the cultural moment so much as he’s defined it.” That is promotional praise from an Apple executive. Apple also said Lamar was among its top 10 global artists in 2024, that GNX reached No. 1 in 129 countries upon release, and that “Not Like Us” was Apple Music’s top-streamed song worldwide. Those are Apple Music platform claims, not general-market rankings. Apple Newsroom, February 3, 2025.
How many people watched the halftime show?
The NFL’s halftime page reports 133.5 million viewers for Lamar’s performance with SZA and calls it the most-watched halftime show at the time of its report. This is an NFL-reported figure and record claim; the standing can change if a later show draws more viewers. NFL Super Bowl halftime page, accessed October 8, 2026.
Where can you find the set list and replay?
Apple Music maintains a Super Bowl LIX collection with the set list and listening options, including Spatial Audio versions. Apple Music’s Super Bowl LIX set-list collection. Access and availability may change.
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