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Kendrick Lamar, SZA dominate on Grand National Tour: Review
Kendrick Lamar controversial halftime show features Serena Williams
Serena Williams joined Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl halftime show. Lamar performed his diss track “Not Like Us,” about Williams’ ex, Drake.
MINNEAPOLIS – Dissing Drake may have earned Kendrick Lamar his five latest Grammy wins, but “Not Like Us” is not the whole story.
Lamar’s well-earned victory lap is best measured by a packed stadium – a rare venue for a rapper – of 60,000 devotees enraptured by a barrage of his dynamic lyrics.
The cerebral rapper, 37, and longtime collaborative pal SZA, 35, jumpstarted The Grand National Tour, their run of 39 stadium concerts in North America and Europe, April 19 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Through 2 ½-hours and 52 songs – most of them played in full – the pair showcased how dichotomous stagecraft and differing cadences can lead to a beautiful collision.
It was a bit of a surprise that shortly after opener Mustard spun a 30-minute DJ set, the lyrics of “Wacced Out Murals” filled the stadium, a black Buick GNX engulfed in smoke rose from beneath the stage and Lamar stepped out, dovetailing into the remainder of the song with natural cool.
The staccato delivery of “Squabble Up” and stomping beat of “King Kunta” that followed suggested Lamar would perform a solo set and SZA would follow. But a couple of songs later, the Buick returned, this time covered in moss, with SZA perched atop.
She and Lamar, in an ensemble of leather, denim and a knit cap, crisscrossed the stage, swapping lyrics on “30 for 30” and strolling down parallel ramps that led to the secondary stage dubbed the Energy Floor.
This is the truest depiction of a co-headlining tour, as Lamar and SZA traded sets every few songs, his usually drenched in black and white and dimly lit and hers filled with images and costumes related to her bug fascination.
Lamar is one of the few rappers to anchor a stadium tour, but it’s a natural escalation considering a career that has yielded six albums, a Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2018, 22 Grammy Awards – including five in February – and the most watched Super Bowl halftime performance in NFL history.
Whether sitting pensively on a set of stairs for “Euphoria” until a burst of pyro accelerated the song or roaming through a circle of sporty female dancers and spitting the rhymes of “Humble” with relentless intensity, Lamar was riveting.
His expressions of sideways grins and head shakes were spotlighted through a series of film clips shown throughout the show depicting Lamar being interrogated about the meaning of his lyrics and SZA (born Solána Imani Rowe) humorously explaining how to pronounce her stage name.
One frustrating element of Lamar’s production was difficulty seeing him in between shadowy lighting despite the Mission Control assembly of soundboards and video monitors at the back of the stadium floor.
His artsy tendencies are appreciated, but they didn’t always translate to the massive scope of a stadium production. Sometimes it would have been beneficial to witness the wind-up of “Man at the Garden” or better see his hips moving a foot ahead of him as he sashayed around the stage for the deliberate flow of “DNA.”
While the crowd loaded with teens and twentysomethings seemed to relish the moments that Lamar and SZA shared the stage, rising on hydraulic platforms during the pure pop, hip-swiveling “All the Stars” and closing the show with “Luther” and “Gloria,” there was no question which Lamar song prompted the ear-splitting screams.
Pyro accompanied the creeping synth notes that are the underbelly of “Not Like Us” and Lamar spat the wordy tale that served as the death blow in his beef with Drake. Lamar seemingly mocked Drake’s “drop drop drop” line from “Family Matters” in a video played before the song, and bowed his head while holding out the mic to let fans handle the “A minor” line, which was rendered with a roar.
In between Lamar’s fierce performances, SZA appealed to those in the crowd who were there to hear her soulful declarations of romance and endearing insecurity.
Her catalog of ballads is appealing, but SZA flourished when blasting the rock-tinged “Scorsese Baby Daddy” and the adrenalized “F2F” while romping with a throng of dancers on a stage decorated like Mad Max set in a jungle.
Her several costume changes included a green one-piece short set and knee pads and she delivered the first time we’ve seen a musician ride an animatronic ant like a horse, as SZA did with back bending glee during “Kitchen.”
There were numerous references to bugs and butterflies every time SZA commandeered the stage, and the visuals culminated when she stood center stage during “Saturn” in a towering white gown that expanded vertically, “Defying Gravity”-style, until it fell away to show her suspended midair with virtual wings against a starry backdrop like a crimson-haired Tinker Bell.
As Lamar and SZA round North America and Europe through August, they’re sure to thread changes throughout the concerts. But what the Grand National Tour proved even at its inaugural show is that there is a place where intellect, audacity and soulfulness collide – and it’s open all summer.
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All the Grand National Tour songs
Kendrick Lamar song gets CPR approval from American Heart Association
American Heart Association says Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy-winning song, “Not Like Us,” is the right tempo for hands-only CPR.
In a year that has already witnessed Kendrick Lamar scoop up five more Grammys (total so far: 22) and captivate – or agitate – a record-setting 133 million viewers during his Super Bowl halftime performance, the Grand National Tour with co-headliner SZA continues his leap to superstardom.
The Compton rapper and R&B maven SZA jumpstarted the 39-date stadium tour – a rarity for a rapper – April 19 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
The 2 1/2-hour performance was prefaced by a 30-minute DJ set by Lamar pal Mustard, who produced the Drake-dissing “Not Like Us.”
Staged as a true co-headlining adventure, the show kicked off with Lamar rising from the bottom of the stage inside a Buick GNX that has become an unofficial mascot of his current era and rolling into “wacced out murals” from his “GNX” album.
He and SZA traded the spotlight, with each owning the stage for a handful of songs before ceding to the other. But with so many collaborations (“30 for 30,” “All the Stars,” “Luther”), the pair also frequently prowled the stage together.
While the lighting on the massive main stage, catwalks and octagon-shaped Energy Floor was frequently dim, there was never a problem hearing SZA belt or Lamar unfurl a litany of rhymes, evidenced by the deafening singalongs by the crowd of about 60,000.
Lamar is one of few rappers to fill stadiums and with a co-pilot as saucy as SZA, the duo proved a deeply talented partnership.
Here are all of the songs played on the Grand National Tour.
Kendrick Lamar and SZA Grand National Tour setlist
Act I: Kendrick Lamar & SZA
- “wacced out murals”
- “squabble up”
- “King Kunta”
- “ELEMENT.”
- “tv off (part 1)”
- “30 for 30” (with SZA)
- “Love Galore”
- “Broken Clocks”
- “The Weekend”
Act 2: Kendrick Lamar
- “euphoria”
- “hey now”
- “reincarnated”
- “HUMBLE.”
- “Backseat Freestyle”
- “family ties”
- “Swimming Pools (Drank)”
- “m.A.A.d city”
- “Alright”
- “man at the garden”
Act 3: SZA
- “Scorsese Baby Daddy”
- “F2F”
- “Garden (Say It Like Dat)”
- “Kitchen”
- “Blind”
- “Forgiveless”
- “Low”
Act 4: SZA and Kendrick Lamar
- “Doves in the Wind”
- “All the Stars”
- “LOVE.”
Act 5: Kendrick Lamar
- “dodger blue”
- “peekaboo”
- “Like That”
- “DNA.”
- “GOOD CREDIT”
- “Count Me Out”
- “Money Trees”
- “Poetic Justice”
Act 6: SZA
- “Diamond Boy (DTM)”
- “Shirt”
- “Kill Bill”
- “Snooze”
- “Crybaby”
- “Saturn”
- “Good Days”
- “Rich Baby Daddy”
- “BMF”
- “Kiss Me More (Doja Cat cover)”
Act 7: Kendrick Lamar and SZA
- “bodies”
- “tv off”
- “Not Like Us”
- “luther”
- “gloria”
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Crossword Blog & Answers for April 20, 2025 by Sally Hoelscher
There are spoilers ahead. You might want to solve today’s puzzle before reading further! Thought Leaders
Constructor: Sam Cordes
Editor: Amanda Rafkin
What I Learned from Today’s Puzzle
- BARS (18A: Top-quality hip-hop lyrics) In the world of hip-hop, the word BARS refers to the lyrics, particularly strong or impactful lyrics.
- OTTER (51A: Mammal form of the shape-shifting creature Kushtaka) The Tlingit are Indigenous peoples of North America’s Pacific Northwest. In Tlingit folklore, Kushtaka are mythical shape-shifting creatures capable of assuming human form and the form of an OTTER. Kushtaka are far from friendly; they attempt to trap souls and prevent reincarnation.
- GENE (70A: Patton known as “the Dancing Machine”) GENE Patton (1932-2015) was better known by his stage name, GENE GENE the Dancing Machine. GENE GENE the Dancing Machine gained popularity in the 1970s for his appearances on the talent search game show The Gong Show. GENE Patton worked as a stagehand at NBC Studios, and was one of several amateur performers who warmed up the audience. Eventually, GENE GENE the Dancing Machine became a recurring feature on the show, coming on stage in his signature green sweater jacket, flat cap, bell-bottoms, and sneakers, and performing a shuffling dance.
- OTHER (2D: “The ___ Guys” (2010 comedy film)) The OTHER Guys stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg as New York City Police Department officers.
- SAW (4D: Horror franchise with Billy the Puppet) The SAW horror franchise began with the 2004 movie, SAW. The franchise now includes ten movies as well as other media. The series involves a serial killer known as Jigsaw, who uses Billy the Puppet to communicate with his victims. It’s possible I’ve known this at one time, but horror movies are not my genre of choice, so if I did know it I had blocked it out. Fortunately, crossing answers helped me out.
Random Thoughts & Interesting Things
- BOSS (1A: Video game hurdle) In video games, the term BOSS refers to a significant computer-controlled enemy. This is something I learned four years ago from a crossword puzzle.
- ATTA (12A: Roti flour) ATTA is a wholemeal wheat flour. ATTA flour is used to make flatbreads such as roti, chapati, and naan. Because of the high gluten content of ATTA flour, dough made with it is strong and elastic, and can be rolled into thin sheets.
- SHOWER GIFT (16A: Diaper cake, perhaps) A diaper cake is not an actual cake (thank goodness!), but rather a baby SHOWER GIFT in which diapers are arranged to resemble a tiered cake.
- SHUI (34A: Feng ___) The practice of feng SHUI involves situating buildings and furniture in specific orientations in an attempt to increase harmony between individuals and their environment. The Chinese term feng SHUI translates to “wind-water” in English. The biggest challenge for me here was remembering how to spell feng SHUI.
- DEEP DISH PIZZA (38A: Chicago-style pie) One of the many things Chicago, Illinois is known for is DEEP DISH PIZZA aka Chicago-style PIZZA. Chicago-style DEEP DISH PIZZA was invented at Pizzeria Uno in 1943. I am a fan of all kinds of PIZZA, including Chicago-style DEEP DISH PIZZA.
- TANTRA (46A: Hindu text) In Hinduism, the TANTRAs are scriptures dealing with techniques and practices aimed at expanding one’s consciousness and channeling divine energy. The tantric texts are generally in the format of a dialogue between god and goddess.
- MAYO (60A: PB&M sandwich ingredient) Peanut butter and MAYO sandwiches (PB&Ms) became popular in the 1930s, particularly in the southern United States. The popularity of the PB&M seems to have decreased in the 1960s, but occasionally the Internet will discover it again (as it does…).
- SECOND CITY (61A: Improv troupe based in Chicago) The SECOND CITY improv troupe debuted in Chicago in 1959. SECOND CITY’s alumni list is impressive and includes Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Jordan Peel, Stephen Colbert, and many other well known names.
- OREO (65A: Cookie in some cheesecakes) OREO cheesecake sounds delicious at the moment (or at any moment to be honest). Our crossword friend OREO is making its third appearance of the month and its eleventh appearance of the year.
- BEST (68A: “___ in Show” (2000 mockumentary)) BEST in Show is a mockumentary about dog shows. The movie follows five dogs and their owners as they travel to compete in a dog show. Much of the dialogue in BEST in Show was improvised by the cast: Jennifer Coolidge, Christopher Guest, John Michael Higgins, Michael Hitchcock, Eugene Levy, Jane Lynch, Michael McKean, Catherine O’Hara, and Parker Posey.
- ABBI (8D: “Broad City” actress Jacobson) ABBI Jacobson and Ilana Glazer co-starred in the TV sitcom, Broad City (2014-2019). The show was developed from a web series of the same name and is based on the stars’ real-life friendship and New York City adventures.
- SEA BREEZE (9D: Drink similar to a Cape Codder) A SEA BREEZE is a cocktail made of vodka, cranberry juice, and grapefruit juice. The related cocktail known as a Cape Codder lacks grapefruit juice.
- SPHERE (24D: Round Las Vegas entertainment venue) The Las Vegas entertainment venue SPHERE opened in 2023. When we saw SPHERE referenced in a puzzle earlier this year, I geeked out learning about the science of constructing a SPHERE-shaped building.
- OTOH (27D: “That being said,” in a text) OTOH = on the other hand
- SEAN HAYES (34D: “SmartLess” co-host) SmartLess is a weekly comedy podcast co-hosted by SEAN HAYES, Jason Bateman, and Will Arnett. Each week, one of the co-hosts introduces a mystery guest to the others. Recent guests include Jeff Goldblum, Maria Shriver, and Elton John & Brandi Carlile.
- INTO (39D: “___ the Wild” (Jon Krakauer book)) Jon Krakauer’s 1996 non-fiction book INTO the Wild is about Chris McCandless, a man who after graduating from Emory University, stopped communication with his family and began traveling west, eventually making his way to the Alaskan wilderness, where his body was eventually discovered in an abandoned bus. A movie adaptation of Jon Krakauer’s book, also titled INTO the Wild, was released in 2007.
- EATEN (53D: “___ Alive” (1985 Diana Ross album)) EATEN Alive is Diana Ross’s sixteenth studio album. Fun fact: The album was produced (and primarily written) by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees.
- EDU (62D: www.uoregon.___) The University of Oregon is located in Eugene, Oregon. Its sports teams are the Oregon Ducks.
- CIG (64D: Prop for Cruella, for short) In Disney’s 1961 animated movie, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, the evil villain Cruella de Vil is rarely seen without a cigarette, CIG for short, in hand. This was also true in other 101 Dalmatians movie adaptations and spin-offs … until the 2021 live-action reboot, Cruella. In 2007, Disney banned smoking in its movies.
- A few other clues I especially enjoyed:
- ALIBI (21A: “It couldn’t be me! I was out of town!” e.g.)
- SPOT (36D: Help out in the gym)
- RHYME (54D: Four and score, for example)
Crossword Puzzle Theme Synopsis
- SHOWER GIFT (16A: Diaper cake, perhaps)
- DEEP DISH PIZZA (38A: Chicago-style pie)
- SECOND CITY (61A: Improv troupe based in Chicago)
THOUGHT LEADERS: The first word of each theme answer can be placed in front of the word THOUGHT to form a new phrase: SHOWER THOUGHT, DEEP THOUGHT, and SECOND THOUGHT.
I am familiar with a SHOWER THOUGHT – a flash of inspiration while taking a SHOWER or doing some other mundane chore – but I hadn’t heard that particular phrase to describe it before. Therefore, although I was able to fill in SHOWER GIFT right away, I needed DEEP DISH PIZZA for the “Aha!” moment of recognizing the theme. Thank you, Sam, for this excellent puzzle.
One more thing today: It’s fun that two of today’s theme answers are related to Chicago. Speaking of Chicago, the Midwest Crossword Puzzle Tournament will be happening in Chicago on Saturday, October 4 this year. Why not make plans to attend? And while you’re in Chicago, take in a show at The SECOND CITY and enjoy some DEEP DISH PIZZA.
For more on USA TODAY’s Crossword Puzzles
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Lady Gaga apologizes for Coachella technical difficulties
Lady Gaga stuns in black dress at 2025 Grammys before ‘Mayhem’ release
Lady Gaga arrives at the 2025 Grammys ahead of her “Mayhem” album release.
Entertain This!
Lady Gaga’s most recent album title “Mayhem” is fitting for the problems that took place during her weekend 2 set at Coachella.
The buzzy headliner experienced technical difficulties from the beginning of her second set at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 18 in Indio, California.
During Gaga’s very first song, “Bloody Mary,” her headset mic stopped working and she was discreetly handed a handheld mic before starting “Abracadabra.”
She performed all of the choreography for that song, as well as the difficult choreography for “Judas,” while holding a regular microphone. Later, with her signature humor, she offered an apology to fans: “I’m sorry my mic was broken for a second. At least you know I sing live.”
“Mayhem,” released March 7, marks the “Born This Way” singer’s seventh studio album, topping the Billboard 200 albums chart after its release. “Mayhem” closes out with her hit Bruno Mars duet “Die With a Smile.”
Among her legion of fans dubbed “Little Monsters,” the album is seen as a return to her edgy, electronic roots that defined the early years of her now-two decades long career.
After honing her acting skills with roles in “A Star is Born” and “Joker: Folie à Deux” and experimenting with a softer jazz sound alongside the late Tony Bennett for the 2021 joint album “Love for Sale,” the album offers longtime fans more of the signature club anthems that first made Gaga famous.
“This record was about celebrating bringing industrial music and grunge together, but also with these super-pop sensibilities and 2000s influences,” Gaga told USA TODAY in March.
Gaga’s Coachella performance is her first time headlining the festival since 2017 as she is set to embark on a tour this summer to support “Mayhem.”
The Mayhem Ball tour, set to begin in Las Vegas on July 16, marks Gaga’s first time taking her act on the road since 2022’s Chromatica Ball Tour.
Contributing: Anna Kaufman, Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY; Brian Blueskye, The Desert Sun
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Vince Vaughn appears in ‘Wedding Crashers’-themed Trump photo
Vince Vaughn gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Acting legend Vince Vaughn, joined by his family and actor Mel Gibson, was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Vince Vaughn is crashing the internet after a photo posted by The White House.
The “Wedding Crashers” alum, who played a Washington, D.C. divorce mediation attorney that crashed weddings to meet women opposite Owen Wilson in the 2005 film, is seemingly starring in a new role: visitor of President Donald Trump.
On Friday, the official White House Instagram account shared an apparent photo of Trump with the “Delivery Man” star at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. The shot was a spoofy movie poster inspired by the 2005 cult favorite.
“White House Crashers,” the poster read with “President Donald J. Trump & Vince Vaughn in the Oval Office” as the caption. USA TODAY reached out to reps for Vaughn for comment.
Vaughn and Trump have been pictured together previously. In 2020, a viral video showed Vaughn chatting with Trump at the national championship football game.
The video showed Vaughn sitting in box seats next to First Lady Melania Trump and the president. In the 31-second clip, Vaughn and the president spoke before shaking hands and then waving goodbye.
Both the Trumps and Vaughn smiled when the actor walked away. But later, he walked back the run-in during a 2020 profile in The Los Angeles Times.
“In my career I’ve met a lot of politicians who I’ve always been cordial to; I’ve met Nancy Pelosi and was cordial to her as well,” Vaughn told the LA Times, adding that “it was the only time I’ve ever met him. We said hello. He was very personable. I didn’t get into policies.”
“I think people are more charged than ever about these things,” Vaughn continued. “But I don’t think most people take that stuff as seriously as the small percentage that’s making noise about it.”
He added: “I was raised with the idea that you could have different likes and beliefs, and you should respect and defend that in other people, not shout it down. The people you disagree with the most, you should stand up for their right to do that.”
Contributing: Patrick Ryan and Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY
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Wendy’s has a ‘ton’ of respect for Katy Perry after Blue Origin beef
Katy Perry reveals her ‘California crunchy’ Lifetimes Tour necessities
As she kicks off her Lifetimes Tour, Katy Perry dished on the snacks she eats before going on stage and the necessity of meditating as a mother.
Wendy’s is attempting to end its beef with pop star Katy Perry after backlash.
The fast-food chain, known for its salty fries and social media posts, walked back its earlier shade aimed at the “E.T.” singer after posting “Can we send her back” after the star’s appearance on a Blue Origin flight on April 14.
Perry fans slammed the sassy social media post, which came after popular account Pop Crave posted on X that Perry “returned from space,” but Wendy’s clarified the comments in statements to entertainment outlets.
“We always bring a little spice to our socials, but Wendy’s has a ton of respect for Katy Perry and her out-of-this-world-talent,” reps for Wendy’s told Entertainment Weekly and People. USA TODAY reached out to reps for Perry and Wendy’s for comment.
However, Wendy’s stopped short of a full apology.
The singer, along with several other members of a star-studded, all-female crew, blasted off as part of Blue Origin’s latest space mission, taking off and landing successfully. Perry put her pop star duties on hold to explore the outer orbit for 11 minutes.
The mission, called NS-31, also included television personality Gayle King and journalist Lauren Sánchez, who is engaged to Blue Origin (and Amazon) founder Jeff Bezos. The crew was rounded out by former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyen and film producer Kerianne Flynn. The six women became the first all-female space crew in more than 60 years, Blue Origin has said.
Katy Perry’s Blue Origin mission slammed as out of touch
In the lead-up to the flight, Perry, King and Sánchez all expressed nerves and an eagerness to bring a female finesse to space. And on the day of the launch, celebrity friends including Oprah Winfrey, Khloe Kardashian and Kris Jenner joined the historic moment at the site in Texas.
But the out-of-this-world event was also slammed on social media as out of touch. Fellow celebrities Emily Ratajkowski, Olivia Wilde and Olivia Munn were among the Hollywood stars to distance themselves from the mission.
“I feel super connected to love,” Perry said of her trip to space, adding that the flight was “all for the benefit of Earth. She continued: “I wanted to model courage and worthiness and fearlessness,” revealing it was a hard decision as a mom to take that risk but that she needed to “surrender” to the universe.
Contributing: Anna Kaufman, Edward Segarra
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Coachella 2025: Lady Gaga, more celebrities at Weekend 2Music
Coachella 2025: Lady Gaga, more celebrities at Weekend 2Music
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Let’s talk emotional ending, post-credits scene
‘Sinners’: A vampire wants to crash Michael B. Jordan’s party
Cornbread (Omar Miller) isn’t acting like his old self when trying to re-enter the party in Ryan Coogler’s period horror movie “Sinners.”
Spoiler alert! The following post discusses important plot points, including the ending of “Sinners” (in theaters now).
Ryan Coogler’s horror movie “Sinners” goes hard when it comes to the blues, so it makes sense that a bona fide music legend would show up before the credits roll.
The filmmaker enlisted Buddy Guy to play the older version of a key character in his 1930s-set period epic. And it also led to an emotional day on set: One of Coogler’s biggest inspirations for “Sinners” — and Guy’s casting – was a blues-loving uncle who saw the guitar legend perform more than 50 times. As they filmed a post-credits scene set in 1992 on the first day of production, star Michael B. Jordan hugged Guy, and “it hit me like a ton of bricks,” Coogler says. “I realized I had dressed Buddy Guy up like my uncle without knowing it. And seeing Mike hug him, it broke me down. I was like, ‘Oh, that’s what this movie is about this whole time.’ ”
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In “Sinners,” gangster twins Smoke and Stack (Jordan) find a juke joint in their Mississippi hometown and recruit their gifted guitar-playing cousin Sammie (Miles Caton in the ‘30s, Guy in the ‘90s) to play opening night. However, their shindig is turned upside down with the appearance of Irish vampire Remmick (Jack O’Connell) who attacks the partygoers, turning them into new bloodsuckers and adding to his army.
Coogler and Jordan break down the movie’s emotional ending and a time-jumping post-credits scene:
What happens in the ending of ‘Sinners’?
Remmick first “turns” Stack’s former lover Mary (Hailee Steinfeld), and she makes Stack a vamp, which knocks his brother Smoke for a loop. From there, he and the survivors try to stay alive until dawn. Smoke’s ex Annie (Wunmi Mosaku) is bitten, and she makes Smoke stake her in the heart before she can turn. Smoke and Stack ultimately come to blows, Sammie makes it out of the sawmill alive and Smoke and Sammie defeat Remmick when the sun rises and he (along with most of his vampires) go up in flames.
But that’s not the end of the fight. The shady white guy who sold the twins the sawmill was a local Ku Klux Klan leader, and the place is a trap: He and his men aim to kill anyone who comes out in the morning. So while a tired and scarred Sammie returns to his preacher dad, ex-soldier Smoke rounds up machine guns and heavy weaponry to take on Klan members. He kills them all, but is mortally wounded himself, and as he dies, Smoke is reunited with both Annie and the child they lost as a baby.
“This movie for me was about identity, as my movies always are, and how people see themselves, but also what people do,” Coogler explains. “Smoke sees himself as a father and as a man who’s unredeemable because of his past sins, but he also sees himself as a soldier. For him, soldier means he’s a killer. He’s as good at killing people as Sammie is at singing (and) as Stack is at coming up with schemes and talking people into doing things that they might not want to do.
“That would always be how he would respond to what happens. It was also the only ending that made sense.”
Does ‘Sinners’ have a post-credits scene?
There are two. The final moment after the credits roll finds young Sammie at his dad’s church, doing a sweet rendition of “This Little Light of Mine.” But the meatiest one is a mid-credits scene that catches up with Sammie in 1992. Decades later, he’s playing in his own club and dressed to the nines, just like his cousins.
Old Sammie sits at the bar when he’s shocked to find Stack and Mary, very much still kicking and rocking a ‘90s vibe, walk through the door. Stack reveals to Sammie that he made a deal with Smoke to let the kid live out his life. Before leaving, Stack goes in and looks like he might bite Sammie and finally turn him, but instead embraces him.
Jordan feels that Stack would keep his word because he “owed” his brother that one wish. “He still checked in one time, just right before he’s getting ready to go,” he says.
The actor thinks Stack wanted to hear Sammie play live again: “He’s probably the last person alive that knew who he was before he was a vampire. There was an honesty that was there and a vulnerability that he wasn’t going to get any more for the rest of the eternity.”
Jordan also appreciated revisiting the ‘90s with his wardrobe: a Coogi sweater, Cartier glasses and a brass knuckle ring that reads “Stack.” “Hopefully the kids this Halloween, they pull up.”
