Kendrick Lamar performs in Miami Gardens, Florida, on July 24, 2022.
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Rap artist Kendrick Lamar will headline the halftime show of Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, the NFL announced Sunday.
“Rap music is still the most influential genre to date. And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They picked the right guy,” Lamar, 37, said in a statement released by the NFL.
Lamar is one of the most decorated rappers in history. He has won 17 Grammys, 29 BET Awards, and won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music — the first musician to win the award outside of classical or jazz.
Roc Nation and Emmy-winning producer Jesse Collins will serve as co-executive producers of Apple Music’s 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 its culture has shaped his artistic vision. He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture across the globe. Kendrick’s work extends beyond his music and his impact will be felt for years to come.”
His 2024 single “Not Like Us”, a diss song aimed at Canadian pop star Drakewas one of the most popular songs of the summer, debuting at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It also became the fastest rap song reach out 700 million streams on Spotify.
Lamar has not released an album since 2022’s “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers”. He rose to fame in the early 2010s. His second studio album, “Good Kid, MAAD City”, was released in 2012 and was certified triple platinum.
Super Bowl LIX will take place on February 9. Lamar previously performed at the 2022 Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles alongside several other rappers and hip-hop stars in a West Coast-themed show.
