Kendrick, 37, is a Pulitzer prize winner and a 22-time Grammy Award winner. He won five Grammy Awards for the chart-topping hit, "Not Like Us," just last week at the 2025 Grammy Awards.

Around 8:30 p.m., Kendrick Lamar kicked off his Super Bowl set with Samuel L. Jackson playing the role of Uncle Sam and introducing the Compton MC's performance. This set the tone for the halftime show's "The Great American Game" theme. The field design was set up like the buttons of a PlayStation controller, adding to the vibe.