Kendrick Lamar to Perform at Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show: 'No Rounds 2s'
Kendrick made the announcement in a teaser video. Super Bowl LIX will take place in New Orleans on February 9, 2025.
Kendrick Lamar has announced that he'll be performing at the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans on February 9, 2025.
In a teaser announcement, Lamar addressed the audience while using a football machine to fire balls off-screen. "My name is Kendrick Lamar and I'll be performing at Super Bowl 59," he said. "Will you be pulling up? I hope so."
Lamar seemingly addressed the possibility of continuing to go back and forth with Drake, saying “Only one opportunity to win a championship. No round twos.” This follows a recent incident where Drake hinted at a possible continuation of their feud, only to delete the post shortly after. The post was an upload to his @plottttwistttttt burner account where he shared an image of Rasheed Wallace proclaiming, "We will win Game 2."
In a statement released about performing at the Super Bowl, Lamar highlighted the power of hip-hop. "Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date, and I'll be there to remind the world why," he said. "They got the right one."
“Kendrick Lamar is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer. His deep love for hip-hop and culture informs his artistic vision. 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," said Jay-Z in a statement shared with Complex.
"The Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show is a celebration of the music we love and the incredible artists who make it, all on the world’s biggest stage. Apple is thrilled to bring this show, starring the absolutely incomparable Kendrick Lamar, to fans worldwide with Apple Music’s industry leading Spatial Audio quality along with tons of exclusive videos, interviews, playlists and so much more across Apple Music," Oliver Schusser, Apple’s Vice President of Apple Music, Apple TV+, Sports, and Beats, added.
The creative direction for Lamar's performance will be provided by pgLang and Dave Free. Roc Nation will also serve as a strategic entertainment advisor for the live show.
Check out the teaser up top.
Lamar’s Super Bowl performance will mark his second appearance at the halftime show, following his performance in 2022 during Dr. Dre’s show, which also featured Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and 50 Cent.
The announcement of this highly anticipated show is just the latest in a huge year for Lamar, despite not having released an album. He recently went toe-to-toe with Drake in a series of diss tracks, culminating in the summer anthem “Not Like Us.”
That track has become so popular that Vice President and current presidential candidate Kamala Harris referenced the track at the 2024 BET Awards. Speaking to Taraji P. Henson, she said, ““Yeah, girl I’m out here in these streets, and let me tell you — you’re right, Taraji, there is so much at stake in this moment. The majority of us believe in freedom and equality. But these extremists, as they say — they ‘not like us.’”
