American rap superstar, Kendrick Lamar is set to headline the 2025 Super Bowl, three years after he was the guest of Dr. Dre’s Super Bowl halftime performance.
“Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date. And I’ll be there to remind the world why,” Lamar said in a statement. “They got the right one.”
Jay-Z, whose Roc Nation co-produces the halftime show, added in a statement, “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.”
Lamar and Dave Free’s pgLang will serve as creative directors on the Super Bowl halftime performance.
Seth Dudowsky, Head of Music at the NFL, added in a statement, “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.”
Lamar has spent much of 2024 engaged in a culture-shaking rap beef with Drake, a feud that has resulted in new classics like “Meet the Grahams,” “6:16 in LA,” “Euphoria,” and Song of the Summer contender “Not Like Us.”
The battle had largely subsided by summer’s end, with Rolling Stone declaring Lamar the victor, with his pick as Super Bowl performer only solidifying that decision.
Super Bowl LIX will take place Sunday, February 9, 2025, at New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome, the eighth Super Bowl at the Big Easy stadium (the most among NFL venues) and the first since 2013, with Fox handling the broadcast.
Lamar, whose last album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers arrived in 2022, follows recent Super Bowl halftime performers Usher (at the 2024 game), Rihanna in 2023, Dr. Dre and guests Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Lamar in Los Angeles in 2022, the Weeknd in 2021, and Shakira and Jennifer Lopez in 2020.