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| Part of | Super Bowl LIX | ||||||
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| Date | February 9, 2025 | ||||||
| Location | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. | ||||||
| Venue | Caesars Superdome | ||||||
| Headliner | Kendrick Lamar | ||||||
| Special guests | |||||||
| Sponsor | Apple Music | ||||||
| Director | Hamish Hamilton | ||||||
| Producer |
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| Super Bowl halftime show chronology | |||||||
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TheSuper Bowl LIX halftime show, officially known as theApple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show for sponsorship reasons, was thehalftime entertainment ofSuper Bowl LIX, which took place on February 9, 2025, at theCaesars Superdome inNew Orleans, Louisiana. It featured rapperKendrick Lamar as the headline performer, with guest appearances from singer-songwriterSZA, actorSamuel L. Jackson, tennis playerSerena Williams, and record producerMustard.
On September 8, 2024, theNFL andApple Music announced its selection of Kendrick Lamar to headline the event, which subsequently received a polarized response. Several major industry rappers criticized the selection, claiming it was a snub against local rapperLil Wayne. Critics mostly praised the selection, saying it was a full-circle moment followingLamar's feud with Drake. Prior to the show, speculation arose over if Lamar would implement "Not Like Us" into his performance, followingFCC andlegal concerns.
The show was televised nationally in the U.S. byFox andFox Deportes, withstreaming available viaTubi andNFL+. The performance was seen by a combined 133.5 million viewers domestically across all platforms, surpassingMichael Jackson'sperformance at Super Bowl XXVII in 1993 as the most viewed halftime show in the United States. The show received widespread acclaim, with particular praise for Lamar's performance, its production, tone, and themes. It sparked numerous analyses regarding itssocial commentary oncivil rights in the United States.
The process of deciding a headline performer for theSuper Bowl halftime show is disputed.[1] According toThe Charlotte Observer, it begins with a panel that includes theNational Football League's (NFL) director of entertainment, members of itsproduction company, and the halftime show's director and producer. Ashort list of potential performers is created and given to the Super Bowl's host city, who makes the final decision.[2] However, members of itshost committee claimed that a headline performer is solely picked by the league, and they are notified on who was chosen in the same manner as the general public.[3]
On August 13, 2019, the NFL announced a partnership withShawn "Jay-Z" Carter and his entertainment companyRoc Nation to be named the league's live music entertainment strategist.[4] In that role, Jay-Z and his firm became co-producers and consultants of the Super Bowl halftime show, allowing them to be involved in selecting music for NFL usage and choosing entertainers to perform in televised promotional spots throughout the season.[5] "We really wanted to start to focus on leading toculture," Seth Dudowsky, the league's head of music, explained. "Whether that's the culture of the city, what's happening in culture at large and then focusing on it so that what we're doing feels culturally relevant and using that platform for artists to be able to be themselves and show their art on stage. We want them to feel empowered."[6]
Kendrick Lamar previously headlined theSuper Bowl LVI halftime show alongsideDr. Dre,Snoop Dogg,Eminem, andMary J. Blige, with50 Cent andAnderson .Paak serving as special guests.[7] The first halftime show to be centered entirely aroundhip hop music,[8] it was met with critical acclaim and won threePrimetime Emmy Awards, including a historic win forOutstanding Variety Special (Live).[9] Lamar's "thrilling" and "electrifying" performance was highlighted by several critics.[10][11]Jon Caramanica ofThe New York Times called it "stunning—ecstatically liquid in flow, moving his body with jagged vigor."[12]Rolling Stone'sRob Sheffield opined that he deserved an entire slot to himself.[13]
Lil Wayne publicly campaigned to headline a Super Bowl halftime show, especially one hosted in his hometown ofNew Orleans.[14] He was an initial candidate to perform, according toStephen A. Smith forESPN.[15] "I'd kill that shit," Wayne exclaimed in an interview withRolling Stone's Andre Gee. "We wouldn't even worry about the game after that. Everybody knew that one kid [who] was watching the halftime show, but that'd be one of the first Super Bowls that they'll be like, 'Both teams were out on the field watching the halftime show.'"[14] By February 2024, Wayne was not given the call from the NFL, but he remained hopeful about his chances.[16] "We all praying, we keeping our fingers crossed," he toldYG. "I'm working hard. I'm going to make surethis next album and everything I do is killer, so I want to just make it hard for them not to highlight the boy."[16]
During the summer of 2024,Miley Cyrus was also rumored to be performing at the halftime show.[17]
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.
On September 8, 2024, before thefirst full slate of regular season matches went underway, the NFL,Apple Music and Roc Nation announced Lamar as the headlining act for the Super Bowl LIX halftime show.[19] He is the first rapper to lead the festivities multiple times.[20]
Lamar shared the news by posting a promotional trailer onYouTube, which was directed by his long-time creative partnerDave Free.[21] Theone-shot trailer shows him on a football field in front of a large American flag throwing footballs through a passing machine at off-screen players.[21] As he shoutsmotivational remarks to them, he introduces himself as the headliner.[21] On January 23, 2025, it was announced thatSZA would be joining as a special guest.[22]
In the video announcing his selection, Lamar said "You know it's only one opportunity to win a championship. No round twos", which was interpreted as a shot against Drake, who posted a few weeks before that "we will win Game 2".[23][24][25] Speculation arose as to whether he would incorporate "Not Like Us" into his performance.[26][27]
The decision to have Lamar headline the halftime show polarized the rap industry.[28] Media outlets described Lil Wayne not being chosen as the headliner as a snub, given the event was taking place in his hometown, and he admitted the announcement "broke" him.[29][30] Members of his record label—Young Money Entertainment—Birdman andNicki Minaj,[31]Louisiana rappersBoosie Badazz andMaster P,[32][33] andEast Coast hip-hop artistsCam'ron andMase condemned Jay-Z for the "egregious" selection and accused him of factoring in his complicated relationship with Lil Wayne and other artists under his label.[34][35] On the other hand,Charlamagne tha God,[36]Fabolous,[37]Fat Joe,[38] andJay Electronica defended Jay-Z, noting that he was not the only one involved in deciding the headliner.[39]
Critics were more positive about Lamar's announcement, praising it as a historic and full circle accomplishment that ties to the beginning of hisescalated feud withDrake. The editorial staff ofHipHopDX, led byElliott Wilson, opined that he was the right choice, citing his legacy, catalog, and showmanship as prime examples.[40] Justin Sayles ofThe Ringer stated his belief that the halftime performance announcement was the capstone of a year that had seen Lamar "ascend to the highest levels" of popular culture, and seen Drake "sink to the lowest levels" of his career.[41] David Dennis Jr. ofAndscape declared the announcement as a final, definitive reminder that Lamar has completed "one of the most undeniable one-sided victories in rap history."[42]USA Today's Mike Freeman argued that it showcased a prominent example of Jay-Z's influence on the NFL's mostlyconservative owners by "unabashedly injectingBlack culture into the league's Super Bowl bloodstream."[43] However, some commentators found it hypocritical of Lamar to headline the performance given his reputation as a socially aware rapper and the NFL'stroubled history with social justice initiatives.[42]
On November 22, 2024, Lamar released his sixth studio album,GNX.[44] In the song "Wacced Out Murals", he mentions Lil Wayne's reaction towards his Super Bowl announcement. He says his hard work let Lil Wayne down, and thatNas was the only rap artist to praise him for it.[45]
Creative direction for the performance was provided by Lamar and Free's company,PGLang.[18] It was produced by Diversified Production Services (DPS) and directed byHamish Hamilton.[18] Jesse Collins, Jay-Z and Roc Nationexecutive produced the telecast for a sixth year; the latter agency also served as strategic entertainment advisors.[18]
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| "Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show" (live) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Promotional single byKendrick Lamar | ||||
| from the album Super Bowl LIX Live from New Orleans, LA | ||||
| Released | February 11, 2025 (2025-02-11)[46] | |||
| Recorded | February 9, 2025 (2025-02-09) | |||
| Venue | Caesars Superdome | |||
| Length | 13:20 | |||
| Label | NFL | |||
| Songwriter | Kendrick Lamar | |||
| Kendrick Lamar promotional singles chronology | ||||
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| Performance video | ||||
| Kendrick Lamar's Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show onYouTube | ||||
The introduction to Lamar's performance began with an instrumental version ofGhais Guevara's "The Old Guard is Dead."[47] The performance began with Kendrick Lamar and his backup dancers getting out of a 1980sBuick GNX and onto a stage resembling part of aPlayStation controller. The opening was a portion of the unreleased song "Bodies".[48]Samuel L. Jackson appeared in a recurring role asUncle Sam, who provided satirical commentary and advice to Kendrick between songs to illustrate the cultural divide of America.[49][50] Lamar initially teased a performance of "Not Like Us",breaking the fourth wall and stating "I wanna play their favorite song, but you knowthey love to sue."[51][52] Lamar played "Luther" and "All the Stars" withSZA before returning to "Not Like Us".[49] Lamar looked directly into the camera with a smile when he rapped "Say Drake, I hear you like 'em young". The lyric including the word "pedophile" was censored, but the audience could be heard shouting the lyric "tryna strike a chord and it's probably A minor" along with him a few lines later.[53]
Professional tennis playerSerena Williams, who shares Lamar's hometown ofCompton, made a cameo appearance as a dancer doing acrip walk during "Not Like Us",[49][54] a reference to Williams performing a similar dance after her victory at the2012 Summer Olympics, for which she faced some criticism. Williams's appearance was also received as a diss towards Drake, with whom she was rumored to have dated several years earlier.[55][56][57] The performance was capped off by "TV Off" withMustard coming out as a special guest, finally with Lamar "turning the TV off" and the words "game over" being displayed through crowd wristband lights.[49]
A protester waving theSudanese flag and thePalestinian flag with the words "Sudan" and "Gaza" written on it, as well as aheart and araised fist, stood on the stage during Lamar's performance on top of a blackGNX, and ran around the field before being tackled by security. The man named Zul-Qarnain Nantambu, a member of Lamar's field cast, had concealed the flag on his person without the knowledge of organizers before unfurling it during the performance.[58][59] Roc Nation stated that the protest "was neither planned nor part of the production and was never in any rehearsal." The performer was "banned for life" from all NFL stadiums and events. TheNew Orleans Police initially stated they were "working to determine applicable charges" against the performer, but later confirmed they would not file charges.[60][61][62]
Lamar's performance was widely acclaimed. Lisa Respers France ofCNN called "Not Like Us" the star of the halftime performance,[53] while Maria Sherman of theAssociated Press described Lamar performing the song on the biggest stage in American sport as another step in Lamar's continued victory lap in hisfeud with Drake.[63]Jon Caramanica ofThe New York Times described his performance as "quite a spectacle — perhaps the peak of any rap battle, ever".[64]Mark Beaumont ofThe Independent stated his "performance will undoubtedly go down as one of the most important halftime shows in the history of the event, if not the most significant mass-televised rap performance of all time".[65] Sam Wolfson ofThe Guardian commented that he "chose artistry over more obvious showmanship in an unusual set".[66] Sidney Madden, writing forNPR, commented on the underlying message of the performance, claiming that "Lamar played into fears that he's too dangerous for the country's biggest stage with sinister pleasure, making it clear that he would not soften his contempt or his approach for the mass audience."[67] HistorianAnita L. Wills, writing in theSan Francisco Bay View, said Lamar's performance "reignited the Civil Rights Movement's spirit on a global scale" and likened Samuel L. Jackson's portrayal of Uncle Sam to a gatekeeper "standing between the masses and the white moneyed establishment."[68] Some viewers on social media felt the show lacked entertainment value and focused too much on the feud with Drake. Other complaints such as audio issues andlip syncing by SZA were also noted.[69][70]
Prior to the event, Lamar discussed his storytelling while performing, stating "I just want you to feel it. The writing is there, now it's up to me to perform it so you feel it [...] I like to carry on that sense of, make people listen, but also see and think a little."[71] Observers noted that dancers dressed in red, white, and blue arranged themselves to display a dividedAmerican flag as Lamar performed "Humble", as well as Lamar chanting "the revolution 'bout to be televised, you picked the right time but the wrong guy" and "forty acres and a mule, this is bigger than the music".[72][73][74] Analysis fromThe Root concluded that Jackson's role asUncle Sam represented a "sanitized" America controlling thefree expression ofAfrican American artists—referencing his criticism of "Squabble Up" being "too ghetto".[75] Writing forThe New York Times,Tiana Clark opined that his performance represented "the gamification of the elusive American dream", with apparent references toSquid Game andPlayStation controllers throughout his set.[76] Writing forUSA Today,Nancy Armour opined that his performance represented a rejection ofPresident Donald Trump's vision for America.[77]
The show was televised nationally in the U.S. byFox andFox Deportes, and streamed onTubi andNFL+.[78][79] The performance was seen by an average of 133.5 million viewers domestically across broadcast television and streaming platforms during the 15 minute-long set, surpassingMichael Jackson's performance at theSuper Bowl XXVII halftime show in 1993.[80] The increase was largely driven by a strong lead-in, as the event's viewership peaked at 137.7 million viewers during the 15-minute segment of the game shortly before the halftime show and had begun to decline as the halftime show began.[81]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | September 7, 2025 | Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming | Charm La'Donna | Nominated | [82][83] |
| Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special | Hamish Hamilton | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Music Direction | Kendrick Lamar and Tony Russell | Won | |||
| Primetime Emmy Awards | September 14, 2025 | Outstanding Variety Special (Live) | Shawn Carter, Desiree Perez, Jesse Collins andDave Free, executive producers; Dionne Harmon, Dave Meyers, Anthony Saleh and Cornell Brown, co-executive producers; Aaron B. Cooke, supervising producer;Jana Fleishman, producer; Phil Sino-Cruz and Chelsea Gonnering, line producers;Kendrick Lamar, performer | Nominated | [citation needed] |
Jackson was also saluted for performing in front of one of the largest TV audiences ever, 133.4 million viewers during halftime at the 1993 Super Bowl.
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