Kendrick Lamar to Headline Super Bowl 2025 Halftime Show

Rapper Kendrick Lamar has officially been tapped as the musical headliner for the 2025 Super Bowl LIX Apple Music Halftime Show, the NFL revealed.

The 2025 Super Bowl is set to take over Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday, February 9, marking the 59th edition of the event. Previously, Lamar appeared during the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2022 as a special guest alongside Dr. Dre, performing “m.A.A.d. city” and “Alright.”

 

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“Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date,” Lamar said following the news. “And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one.”

Jay-Z’s Roc Nation — who partnered with the NFL in to consult on the Super Bowl halftime show and work with the league’s activism campaign — noted in a statement that Lamar is a “once-in-a-generation artist and performer.”

“His deep love for hip-hop and culture informs his artistic vision,” Roc Nation 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 arrived on the scene in 2011 with the debut Section 80. From there, he went on to release Good Kid, M.A.A.D City and To Pimp a Butterfly, followed by his chart-topping 2017 LP Damn. The record garnered attention with chart-topping hits “Humble” and “Loyalty” featuring Rihanna, preceding Black Panther: The Album. He last released Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers in 2022.

This year, Drake and Lamar’s tumultuous relationship was amplified when Drake released the diss track “Push Ups,” mocking Lamar’s small stature and his deal with TDE, followed by “Taylor Made Freestyle” — which was scrubbed from his social media after he used A.I. vocals to rap in the voice of the late Tupac.

Lamar struck back with the six-minute long seething diss track “Euphoria,” followed quickly by “6:16 in LA.” Drake responded with “Family Matters,” which led to Lamar’s “Meet the Grahams” and “Not Like Us.” The last track dropped in the battle is Drake’s “The Heart Pt. 6.” Meanwhile, Lamar released a music video for “Not Like Us,” and the track earned the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.