- Kendrick Lamar to headline Super Bowl half-time show
- Lamar's second Super Bowl performance, first time as solo headliner
- Show set for Feb 9 in New Orleans, Louisiana
Rapper Kendrick Lamar has been announced as the headline performer for the Super Bowl halftime show, according to a joint statement from the National Football League (NFL) and Apple Music on Sunday. This appearance will mark Lamar’s second performance at the Super Bowl but will be his debut as the main act.
“Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date. And I’ll be there to remind the world why,” Lamar stated. “They got the right one.”
The Super Bowl is scheduled to take place on February 9 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Lamar previously performed at the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Mary J. Blige. That show received critical acclaim and won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live).
At 37, Lamar is celebrated as one of hip-hop’s most innovative lyricists. In 2018, he became the first hip-hop artist to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. “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,” said Seth Dudowsky, NFL’s Head of Music.
Earlier this year, Lamar was in the spotlight due to a public feud with Canadian rapper Drake, with both artists releasing a series of diss tracks. Notable hits from this feud include Lamar’s contributions to Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That” and his own track “Not Like Us.”
The Super Bowl, recognized as the premier sports event in the United States, attracts tens of millions of viewers domestically and is broadcast globally. The halftime show is renowned for featuring major artists, with past performers including Rihanna, Usher, Beyoncé, the Rolling Stones, and Bruce Springsteen.
