American rapper, Kendrick Lamar, will headline the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show, set to take place Sunday (9 February 2025) in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The set will be the second time Kendrick Lamar will grace the stage at the NFL’s main event, after he was a special guest alongside Dr. Dre’s West Coast hip-hop showcase in 2022.
But this will be the first time he headlines the big show, and just the second time a rapper is the main event.
Kendrick Lamar nodded to that in a statement announcing the news.
“Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date,” he said. “And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one.”
Creative direction for Lamar’s performance will be provided by pgLang, the creative imprint co-founded by the rapper.
“Kendrick Lamar is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer,” JAY-Z said in a statement.
“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.”
This is also the third year that Apple Music has served as the title sponsor for the event, having first taken over in 2023, when Rihanna headlined the show in Phoenix.
“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,” said Oliver Schusser, vp of Apple Music, Apple TV+, Sports and Beats, in a statement.
