Rapper Kendrick Lamar will headline the Super Bowl LIX halftime show in New Orleans, the NFL announced Sunday.
“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,” Lamar, 37, said in an NFL-released statement.
Lamar is one of the most decorated rappers in history. He has 17 Grammy Awards, 29 BET Awards, and won a Pulitzer Prize for music in 2018 — the first musician to win outside of the classical or jazz genres.
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Roc Nation and Jesse Collins, an Emmy-winning producer, will serve as co-executive producers of the Apple Music halftime show.
“Kendrick Lamar is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer,” Roc Nation founder 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.”
His 2024 single “Not Like Us,” a diss track aimed at Canadian pop star Drake, was one of the most popular songs of the summer, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also became the fastest rap song to reach 700 million steams on Spotify.
Lamar has not released an album since 2022’s “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers.” He rose to prominence in the early part of the 2010s. His second studio album, “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City,” was released in 2012 and was certified triple platinum.
Super Bowl LIX will take place on Feb. 9. Lamar previously performed at Super Bowl LVI in 2022 in Los Angeles alongside several other rappers and hip-hop stars in a West Coast-themed show.
