Here’s My Breakdown Of Kendrick Lamar’s Politically Potent Halftime Show

For those who may not know, the term “Uncle Tom” originated in 1852. Uncle Tom was a character in Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe. He is an enslaved Black man who is beaten to death for not betraying the whereabouts of other enslaved people. Although in this origin story, he was loyal to his fellow Black people, his character was also seen as subservient and happy with being enslaved in updated versions of the story.

Samuel L. Jackson, as Uncle Tom, chided and goaded Kendrick with lines like “Too loud, too reckless, too ghetto. Mr. Lamar, do you really know how to play the game?”

During the 2024 election season, Donald Trump found support among many Black men, and gained more of their votes than any Republican candidate in nearly a quarter century. I couldn’t help but feel like Samuel L. Jackson’s Uncle Tom was a direct reference to this fact.