Before the NFL season’s opening games kicked off on Sunday, Kendrick Lamar was already thinking about the Super Bowl. In a video shared to social media early Sunday morning, the rap superstar confirmed that he is headlining the Super Bowl LIX halftime show on February 9 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
“Will you be pulling up?” Lamar asks in the video. “I hope so. … Wear your best dress, too, even if you’re watching from home. Let’s go.”
With Lamar officially on board for the 2025 Super Bowl event, producers Roc Nation, Apple Music and the NFL will be expecting a monumental ratings boost. Described by Apple TV as ‘the most-watched musical performance of the year’, the Super Bowl halftime show has played host to some of the industry’s most remarkable showings, from Michael Jackson in 1993 to Rihanna in 2023, and it is only getting bigger. Earlier this year, the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Starring Usher became the most-watched halftime performance of all time, garnering three 2024 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Variety Special (LIVE).
It won’t be the first time Lamar has played the iconic halftime show, however. In 2022, the Los Angeles rapper performed alongside Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg and Eminem, with additional special guests, in a performance that nabbed three Emmy Awards. This time around, Lamar will pull double duty, acting not only as the headline performer but also serving on the creative direction side. pgLang, the visual communications company Lamar founded alongside Dave Free, will perform creative direction duties for the halftime show, continuing the artist’s unique visual language on-stage.
“Few artists have impacted music and culture as profoundly as Kendrick Lamar. Time and time again, Kendrick has proven his unique ability to craft moments that resonate, redefine, and ultimately shake the very foundation of hip-hop,” Seth Dudowsky, head of music at the NFL said. “We’re excited to collaborate with Kendrick, Roc Nation, and Apple Music to deliver another unforgettable Halftime Show.”
The Super Bowl LIX halftime show will be produced by DPS with Roc Nation and Jesse Collins serving as executive producers and Hamish Hamilton serving as director. Roc Nation will also serve as the strategic entertainment advisor for the live performance.
It marks the sixth time that the company has been involved with the production, following successful iterations with Shikira, the Weeknd, Rusher and more. In a press release further explaining Lamar’s involvement in the blockbuster pop-culture event, Roc Nation founder and multi-Grammy Award-winning musician Jay-Z labelled the ‘Not Like Us’ rapper transcendent.
“His deep love for hip-hop and culture informs his artistic vision,” he said. “He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture globally. Kendrick’s work transcends music, and his impact will be felt for years to come.”
The announcement of the Super Bowl LIX halftime show headline spot caps off a remarkable few months for Lamar. The rapper was embroiled in a diss-track war with Canadian star Drake earlier this year, which led to a string of new releases, including the chart-topping hit ‘Not Like Us’. He then went on to perform a monumental show at the Kia Forum in Inglewood in front of a sold-out crowd. The Pop Out: Ken & Friends show was simultaneously live-streamed on Prime Video and Twitch, becoming one of the most popular musical performances of 2024.
The recent Super Bowl announcement, potentially by coincidence, furthers the long-standing beef. In Drake’s 2023 track, ‘First Person Shooter’, which features fellow Lamar-rival J Cole, the duo muse on their success, relating it back to the NFL’s big day.
“Numero U-N-O. Me and Drizzy, this s*** like the Super Bowl….Man, this*** damn near big as the-
“Big as the what? Big as the what? Big as the what?
“Big as the Super Bowl.”
With Lamar now officially headlining ‘the most-watched musical performance of the year’, the rapper appears to have had the last laugh and he isn’t one to shy away from the moment. “Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date,” he said in a statement announcing his headline spot. “And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one.”
