Rap star Kendrick Lamar will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX halftime show in New Orleans this February.
Lamar will perform from The Caesars Superdome in Louisiana on Feb. 9, the National Football League (NFL), Apple Music and Roc Nation announced Sunday. The news came just hours before the league kicked off its first full slate of Sunday games for the 2024 season.
The rapper, who has won 17 Grammys, said he is looking forward to bringing rap music to the NFL championship game.
“Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date. And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one,” he said in a statement.
Lamar shared the news Sunday in a YouTube video featuring the rapper on a football field with a large American flag behind him.
“What’s the deal, everybody? My name’s Kendrick Lamar, and I’ll be performing at Super Bowl 59,” he said. “Will you be pulling up? I hope so. You know there’s only one opportunity to win a championship, no round twos. … I wouldn’t want you to miss it. Meet me in New Orleans, February 9, 2025. Wear your best dress too, even if you’re watching from home.
Roc Nation, the entertainment company founded by Jay-Z, will serve as the strategic entertainment advisor of the live performance, the company said.
Jay-Z called Lamar a “once-in-a-generation” artist and performer.
“His deep love for hip-hop and culture informs his artistic vision,” Jay-Z 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.”
Lamar, 37, is a highly decorated performer, after quickly gaining popularity from his debut album, “good kid, m.A.A.d city,” in 2012. He has won 17 Grammy Awards and became the first non-classical, non-jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize for his 2017, “DAMN,” per The Associated Press.
Lamar made headlines earlier this year amid a rap battle with Drake that consumed hip-hop for weeks and even was discussed among lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
One of Lamar’s most popular diss tracks earned the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and was featured at the Democratic National Convention during California’s state roll call. Lamar is from Compton, Calif.
While Super Bowl LIX will be his first time headlining a NFL championship, it won’t be his first time on the Super Bowl stage. Lamar appeared as a guest artist in 2022, when he performed with Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige and 50 Cent.
His latest album, “Mr. Morale & The Steppers” was released in 2022. He was featured in the track “Like That” with Future and Metro Boomin earlier this year, which remained at No. 1 for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, the AP reported.
“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, wrote in a statement.
Eight-time Grammy Award-winning artist Usher headlined the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show at Allegiant Stadium earlier this year. He was joined by surprise guest Alicia Keys, along with H.E.R., Ludacris, Jermaine Dupri and Lil Jon.
The Associated Press contributed.
