Kendrick Lamar performs in Miami Gardens, Florida on July 24, 2022.
Jason Koerner | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images
Rapper Kendrick Lamar will headline the Super Bowl LIX halftime show in New Orleans, the NFL announced Sunday.
“Rap music is still the most influential genre ever. And I’m going to be there to remind the world why. They got it right,” Lamar, 37, said in a statement released by the NFL.
Lamar is one of the most awarded rappers in history. He has 17 Grammy Awards, 29 BET Awards and won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for music – the first musician to win outside of the classical or jazz genres.
Roc Nation and Emmy-winning producer Jesse Collins will serve as co-executive producers of the Apple Music nonstop 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 on a global scale. Kendrick’s work transcends music and his impact will be felt for years to come.”
His 2024 diss track “Not Like Us” directed at Canadian pop star Drake was one of the biggest hits of the summer, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also became the fastest rap song to reach. 700 million steam on Spotify.
Lamar hasn’t released an album since 2022’s Mr. Moral 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 a West Coast-themed show at Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles in 2022 along with several other rappers and hip-hop stars.
