What would a beginning of a journey be without a tantalizing preview of what awaits at the end? A few hours before the kickoff of the 2024 NFL season, the NFL, Roc Nation and Apple Music collectively announced that legendary Pulitzer-prize-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar will helm this year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans.
Oliver Schusser, Apple’s VP of Apple Music said of the announcement: “The Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show is a celebration of the music we love and the incredible artists who make it, all on the world’s biggest stage. Apple is thrilled to bring this show, starring the absolutely incomparable Kendrick Lamar, to fans worldwide with Apple Music’s industry leading Spatial Audio quality along with tons of exclusive videos, interviews, playlists and so much more across Apple Music.”
Perhaps most exciting? Kendrick is serving as co-creative director of his own show with Dave Free’s pgLang. Lamar is one of the greatest auteurs, let alone musicians, of our generation. Two of the finest Super Bowl halftime shows of all time—Prince’s and Lady Gaga’s—were directed in some part by their leading musicians.
So, too, will Lamar’s in February of 2025 after months of his own planning, producing, and writing. He’ll look to take home a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Variety Special for his directing role over his halftime show. Jay-Z won one in 2023 for directing Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, and he was the first Black man to do so. Lamar will hope to become the second.
We have every right to believe that this halftime show will rise to the artistic registry of the Pulitzer-Prize-winning songwriter and performer that comes expected with anything upon which Kendrick Lamar stamps his name. It also has the possibility of being the rawest and potentially most socially-taut Super Bowl performance. Kendrick’s reputation for stripped-down excellence in his music is unrivaled.
Not to mention, the Super Bowl will be held in February 2025, amidst a likely still-heightened zeitgeist following what’s sure to be one of the most contentious presidential elections in modern U.S. History. Given the social impact of Lamar’s music, the significance of choosing his voice for a post-election-year Super Bowl is sure to lead to plenty of poignant commentary, both in terms of music and the larger production.
Many folks are going to wonder if Lamar will feature—or perhaps even open with—any of his newest beef-related tracks about Drake. “Meet the Grahams,” “6:16 in LA,” “Euphoria,” and “Not Like Us,” all have a good chance to be Kendrick’s opener. When novelty prop odds eventually release on Draftkings Sportsbook, I’m sure these songs will all be among the favorites for Lamar’s opening song of the show.
If there was any question (there wasn’t) as to who “won” the public spat between Drake and Kendrick, it would appear NFL Head of Music Seth Dudowsky might have officially declared Kendrick the winner when he said, “Few artists have impacted music and culture as profoundly as Kendrick Lamar. Time and time again, Kendrick has proven his unique ability to craft moments that resonate, redefine, and ultimately shake the very foundation of hip-hop.”
Super Bowl LIX is headed to the New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome on February 9, 2025. The Super Bowl Halftime Show is officially sponsored by Apple.
Kendrick said the following in an official statement following the announcement: “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.”
They sure did.
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