Kendrick Lamar to headline Apple's 2025 Super Bowl half-time show

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
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Award-winning rap megastar Kendrick Lamar will return to perform in iPhone maker Apple's 2025 Super Bowl half-time show this February, his first appearance since 2022. This time, however, he's the headliner.

Person sitting on a football field, with a ball in front and bold red and white background stripes, promoting the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show.
Kendrick Lamar will headline the half-time show at Super Bowl LIX.



Lamar's previous Super Bowl half-time showcase, which included other rap artists including Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Snoop Dogg, won a 2022 Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live). He has won other awards for his inventive lyrics, including the Pulitzer Prize for music, the first hip-hop artist to do so, as well as a Grammy.

The Super Bowl is one of the biggest televised sports event in the US, routinely drawing tens of millions of viewers. The NFL's Seth Dudowsky said of Lamar that "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."

In 2024, Lamar scored a major hit with his single "Not Like Us," but got considerably more publicity out of his public feud with Canadian rapper Drake. Both artists released "diss tracks" about each other.

In a press release from the National Football League and Apple announcing the half-time show, Lamar said that the Super Bowl "got the right one" to head this year's event. "Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date. And I'll be there to remind the world why."

Super Bowl LIX will take place in New Orleans, LA on February 9th, 2025. Kick-off will be at 6:30pm, Eastern time.



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M68000

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 12
    M68000M68000 Posts: 830member
    “rap” does not even qualify as music to me.  When you say “rap”, I think of people yelling profanity and calling it music.  I’m going to pass on watching this halftime “show”. 
    edited September 8 iOS_Guy80watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 12
    XedXed Posts: 2,800member
    M68000 said:
    Rap “artist” ?  Oh yeah,  that is somebody yelling profanity and has little to no musical talent.  That is what passes for music today.  If I watch the Super Bowl I wont’t be watching that garbage and will do something else in the meantime. I would rather have real music or entertainment on the TV.

    OK, boomer.
    ronngrandact73
  • Reply 3 of 12
    ITGUYINSDITGUYINSD Posts: 533member
    Xed said:
    M68000 said:
    Rap “artist” ?  Oh yeah,  that is somebody yelling profanity and has little to no musical talent.  That is what passes for music today.  If I watch the Super Bowl I wont’t be watching that garbage and will do something else in the meantime. I would rather have real music or entertainment on the TV.

    OK, boomer.
    Number one, the Super Bowl is watched by every age group.  The last what, 3 or 4, Super Bowl Half-time shows has been hip-hop or rap artists.  There are other genres of music -- why they've been concentrated on one or two similar genres is disappointing.  There are plenty of artists that appeal to all age demographics -- hip-hop and rap are not one of them.

    Number two,  "OK boomer" is derogatory and rude to people older than you.  Try to use better words.
    edited September 8 M68000d_2mobirdwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 12
    XedXed Posts: 2,800member
    ITGUYINSD said:
    Xed said:
    M68000 said:
    Rap “artist” ?  Oh yeah,  that is somebody yelling profanity and has little to no musical talent.  That is what passes for music today.  If I watch the Super Bowl I wont’t be watching that garbage and will do something else in the meantime. I would rather have real music or entertainment on the TV.
    OK, boomer.
    Number one, the Super Bowl is watched by every age group.  The last what, 3 or 4, Super Bowl Half-time shows has been hip-hop or rap artists.  There are other genres of music -- why they've been concentrated on one or two similar genres is disappointing.  There are plenty of artists that appeal to all age demographics -- hip-hop and rap are not one of them.

    Number two,  "OK boomer" is derogatory and rude to people older than you.  Try to use better words.
    "OK boomer" is derogatory but the OP has nothIng but dipshit talking points other than to suggest "rap is crap", claim that it's not actually music, and the genre is just a vehicle for profanity *clutches pearls*? Makes sense. 

    BTW, it's been a bona fide music genre since the 1970s. You don't have to like it, but don't act like that because you don't like what is popular so you decide to get offended because some band that hasn't released any new material in decades isn't coming together to perform a half dozen partial songs for you. It's funny how this only seems to be an issue with this genre of music with a certain type of person. Calling someone a boomer as the most polite way I could frame it.

    If the Super Bowl Halftime Committee (or whatever they call themselves) decided that Skrillex* and other Dubstep musicians were the best fit for the Super Bowl halftime show then you can decide to watch it or not depending on your interest. They area business trying to attract as many viewers as possible which likely won’t be done with having, say, the Eagles play some tired songs with no new material on the ready. Usually they pick artists that have a solid discography and that are promoting a new album. Either way just fucking deal with it and stop whining.

    * Extreme example
    edited September 8 ronn
  • Reply 5 of 12
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 2,951member
    M68000 said:
    “rap” does not even qualify as music to me.  When you say “rap”, I think of people yelling profanity and calling it music.  I’m going to pass on watching this halftime “show”. 
    I’m 64 years old. I grew up with the Beatles, Stones, Neil Diamond, Late Elvis, etc. Today i have to admit though that my taste goes more toward Verdi, Debussy, and Saint Sains. I say that as a preamble to mentioning that I also have a few rap and hip hop cuts in my collection. There is some great stuff out there, some great talents out there. It isn't all ‘people yelling profanity’. 
    edited September 8 ronn
  • Reply 6 of 12
    nubusnubus Posts: 568member
    It is odd to take profanity loaded Lamar after he recently went so very low against Drake's family.

    Taylor "NFL" Swift, Miley Cyrus, and/or her/his godmother, the all-American icon, Dolly Parton. None of them have performed. Would have been nice to see some positive energy on stage.
    iOS_Guy80
  • Reply 7 of 12
    XedXed Posts: 2,800member
    nubus said:
    It is odd to take profanity loaded Lamar after he recently went so very low against Drake's family.

    Taylor "NFL" Swift, Miley Cyrus, and/or her/his godmother, the all-American icon, Dolly Parton. None of them have performed. Would have been nice to see some positive energy on stage.
    Even if I suggest the feud between Lamar and Drake was started the latter, I do agree with you on picking Lamar right now. The show won't have profanity. I mean, it is a live show so anything can happen, but the rules will be no profanity. I would also venture to say they made him agree not to talk about Drake either directly or indirectly.

    I don't see why Swift would do it. What's the upside for her to perform a free concert right now. This is better set when your fame has fallen off and you're trying to get some free advertising. Then again, I wouldn't think Lamar would need it either.

    PS: Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus have plenty of songs with so-called profanity in them.

    PPS: Even former Disney kids use cursed words....

    ronn
  • Reply 8 of 12
    bytorbytor Posts: 32member
    It would be nice to move away from rap, hip hop and R&B...Garth Brooks would be a good choice, U2...billie eilish...anything else...literally...
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 12
    CrossPlatformFroggerCrossPlatformFrogger Posts: 13member
    Rap is the most popular genre in the world (according to Spotify a few years ago), so they'd capture a bigger audience with a Rapper than a Metal, Country, or some legacy artist. It's all about viewer numbers and advertising dollars. Popular music will bring that.
    ronn
  • Reply 10 of 12
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,150member
    Taylor Swift isn't going to play the Super Bowl halftime show. She rightfully believes that artists should get paid; currently the NFL does not pay halftime entertainment talent.

    And in past years, many of the Super Bowl performers have been formerly top-tier performers have seen a dip in popularity.

    Taylor Swift does not need any more exposure or "free publicity". She doesn't really gain much from playing a 75,000 seat stadium full of football fans for $0.00 when her own shows hold 90,000 of her own doting fans (who buy tickets starting at $200 and also shell out tons for merch).

    The problem with country music is that the NFL is trying to broaden interest in the league internationally. Country music popularity is limited to the USA, Canada, and maybe a little of Australia. Hip hop/rap actually has a much bigger footprint worldwide than country music. Country music is fine as the lead music style for the NFL regular season but if the league really wants to expand interest abroad, they will need to rein in the country music. Trust me, Garth Brooks won't be touring Seoul or Rio de Janeiro anytime soon.


    edited September 9
  • Reply 11 of 12
    XedXed Posts: 2,800member
    mpantone said:
    Taylor Swift isn't going to play the Super Bowl halftime show. She rightfully believes that artists should get paid; currently the NFL does not pay halftime entertainment talent.

    And in past years, many of the Super Bowl performers have been formerly top-tier performers have seen a dip in popularity.

    Taylor Swift does not need any more exposure or "free publicity". She doesn't really gain much from playing a 75,000 seat stadium full of football fans for $0.00 when her own shows hold 90,000 of her own doting fans (who buy tickets starting at $200 and also shell out tons for merch).

    The problem with country music is that the NFL is trying to broaden interest in the league internationally. Country music popularity is limited to the USA, Canada, and maybe a little of Australia. Hip hop/rap actually has a much bigger footprint worldwide than country music. Country music is fine as the lead music style for the NFL regular season but if the league really wants to expand interest abroad, they will need to rein in the country music. Trust me, Garth Brooks won't be touring Seoul or Rio de Janeiro anytime soon.
    And if the Chiefs make it to the Super Bowl again she'll get plenty of air time all while enjoying herself.
    ronn
  • Reply 12 of 12
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,492member
    M68000 said:
    “rap” does not even qualify as music to me.  When you say “rap”, I think of people yelling profanity and calling it music.  I’m going to pass on watching this halftime “show”. 
    Your ... um ... "tendency to stereotype some people" is showing.

    Rap certainly does have the capacity to allow people some "street-poetry" type expression about things they are angry about, that they see as injustices in this world, or to just pump up their ego by dissing others. That is some of what rap has within it.

    I'm sure I'm not going to convince you to give it another try, and I'm not the world's biggest fan of the genre myself -- but spoken-word poetry set to music doesn't have to have profanity, or be yelled, and I hope you'll at least take my word for it that not all rap fits your description. In the early days it might have been more strident, but it has diversified.
    DAalseth
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