Kendrick Lamar has been tapped to perform as the headliner of the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show in New Orleans in February.
K-Dot to Be Headlining Performer at 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show
Kendrick Lamar will perform as the headliner of the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show at The Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Feb. 9, 2025. On Sunday (Sept. 8), K-Dot hopped on his Instagram page to post a video of himself formally announcing that he will perform at the 2025 Super Bowl in February.
“You know there’s only one opportunity to win the championship. No round twos,” the Compton rhymer said in the clip, which can be viewed below.
Kendrick’s Super Bowl Halftime performance will hold a special place in hip-hop history, as he’ll become the first solo rapper to headline the event after The Black Eyed Peas did it as a group at Super Bowl XLV in 2011.
“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,” said Kung Fu Kenny in a press statement.
Jay-Z, whose Roc Nation company is co-producing the halftime show, added: “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.”
Creative Direction for Pulitzer Kenny‘s halftime performance will be provided by pgLang, the creative company founded by Kendrick and longtime collaborator and filmmaker Dave Free.
Kendrick previously performed at the 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and 50 Cent.
The 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show will air live on Fox on Feb. 9, 2025.
Read More: 13 Best Hip-Hop Halftime Performances
Did Kendrick Take a Subtle Jab at Drake?
In Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show video promo, which can be viewed below, he may have threw a subtle jab at his rap rival Drake when he said, “You know there’s only one opportunity to win the championship. No round twos.”
The 37-year-old rhymer may have been referring to Drizzy’s video that he posted on his Finsta account last month, which alluded to a possible Round 2/Game 2 with K-Dot. Drake posted a video of former Detroit Pistons player Rasheed Wallace stating, “Y’all put it on the front page, back page, middle of the page… we will win Game 2.”
Nevertheless, next February, millions of viewers and thousands of people at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans will be rapping “Not Like Us” and that in itself is going to be wild.