The 6 Most Important References Kendrick Lamar Made During His Halftime Show

Just a week after his hit single "Not Like Us" swept the Grammys, winning five awards including Record and Song of the Year, Kendrick Lamar took the stage for his first solo headlining Super Bowl performance. And—as promised—he didn’t hold back, including in his post-rap beef digs at Drake.

Although he seemed to be jilted by sound technical difficulties, the performance served as a fitting encapsulation of Lamar’s culturally significant discography. Samuel L. Jackson introduced Lamar, setting the tone for a setlist that spanned his culturally significant discography. He opened with "Wacced Out Murals," followed by "Squabble Up," "Humble.," and "Loyalty"—all while wearing Celine Homme by Hedi Slimane.

Fan-favorite tracks like "Man at the Garden" and "Peekaboo" from his latest GNX album came next, before a brief rendition of "Not Like Us." SZA (wearing an all red look, including a maraschino cherry red Born X Raised jacket) joined Lamar on stage for "Luther" and their hit "All the Stars." The show culminated with a full performance of "Not Like Us” and closed with “TV Off.” But what really had viewers in a stir were Lamar’s not-so-subtle references.

Keep scrolling for all the references and not so obvious Easter eggs from Lamar’s performance.

Samuel L. Jackson Dressed as Uncle Sam

Seemingly cosplaying as the patriotic figure, actor Samuel L. Jackson introduced Lamar’s performance and continued to provide narrations throughout the show. Many social media users believed him to be representing Uncle Sam instructing the Black community on how to conduct themselves. "Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto," Jackson uttered during the show.

Kendrick Lamar Wore a "Gloria" Jacket and A-Minor Chain

During his performance, Lamar’s jacket carried a deeper meaning tied to his artistry. The name “Gloria” appeared on the front of the jacket he wore throughout the performance, and for a deeper meaning. Dedicated fans of K.Dot recognize “Gloria” as the closing track on his 2024 album GNX, where Lamar uses the name as a metaphor for his lyrical prowess. Adding another layer of symbolism, Lamar wore a thick chain with a lowercase “a” pendant, referencing his lyric in Not Like Us: “Tryna strike a chord and it's probably A-minorrrrrr.” This nod to music theory further cements the depth of his wordplay and musical craftsmanship.

A Tic-Tac-Toe Stage

Lamar performed on a stage that wasn’t just any stage—resembling that of a tic-tac-toe board. This design choice was likely intentional, serving as a powerful visual metaphor, as the 22-time Grammy winner is known to do with his work. Whether it be a political statement or related to his ongoing feud with Drake is unclear.

Dancers Cosplaying as the American Flag

Alongside Lamar were many talented dancers, but they stood out just as much. The dancers were clad in the red, white, and blue seen on the American flag and formed a visual of it during the performance. Some social media users believe the dancers were meant to represent a divided country. This seemingly public display from an artist like Lamar comes at a time of great political divide in the United States.

He Did Indeed Perform "Not Like Us"

It’s safe to say we were all anticipating “Not Like Us” on the setlist, and Lamar delivered. He cheekily addressed earlier speculation that he couldn’t perform the track due to legal issues after performing GNX track “Peekaboo.”

“I want to play their favorite song, but you know they love to sue,” he remarked. He notably omitted the word "pedophile" from the performance.

Serena Williams Got Her Lick Back

Remember when Drake and Serena Williams dated, and then he dissed her later on? Well tonight, she showcased her talents alongside Lamar—a fellow Compton native. During Lamar’s performance of “Not Like Us,” she made a surprise appearance on stage and crip walked as a clap back at the Canadian rapper. Her presence wasn’t too surprising, as Lamar advises Drake not to speak on her in the track itself.