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After dominating a rap beef against Drake, Kendrick Lamar has been announced as the Super Bowl LIX halftime performing act. Co-signed by the culture and even NFL Commissioner Roger Godell, Mr. Morale will light up the stage on football’s biggest night of the year.
Fresh off a new single, “Watch The Party Die”, Lamar relentlessly tests boundaries and pushes the envelope with masterful sensibilities and superior microphone skills. Super Bowl LIX will be Kendrick Lamar’s second Super Bowl appearance, after appearing in a collaborative effort in 2022 when he shared the stage with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Mary J. Blige.
Now with a stage all to himself, the hip hop icon will have a plethora of hits to choose from, including his latest, “Not Like Us,” which has proven to be a longstanding cultural touchpoint and battle cry for the masses.
Peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, its staying power has been reflected in millions of views, hilarious memes, original videos, creative skits, a video game, and more since its release.
Some hip hop listeners wanted Lil Wayne instead
Kendrick Lamar’s selection as Super Bowl half time performer didn’t come without controversy, however. With the big game being held at New Orleans next year, many fans wanted to see Lil Wayne perform in his hometown, arguing he has a catalog as respectable as Lamar’s.
While both superstar rappers haven’t collaborated together since 2018’s Mona Lisa, Master P wrote his support for Wayne via Instagram after Lamar, 37, was announced as the headliner.
“He’s one of the greatest Hip Hop [sic] artists alive, still relevant and he’s a New Orleans native. Let’s not miss this cultural moment in the South. Life is too short! We have to give our legends their flowers while they are here.”
Unsurprisingly, Drake also expressed his support for Lil Wayne to be the halftime act after his rival was selected.
Kendrick Lamar set to make hip hop history again at Super Bowl LIX
With Kendrick Lamar having numerous Grammy wins, having the greatest concept album of all time, being a Pulitzer Prize-winning artist, and a thought leader since 2009, it’s difficult to definitively say that he isn’t uniquely qualified for the big night himself.
With “Not Like Us” serenading summertime cookouts, parties, the DNC convention, and everything in between, Lamar appears to refute Drake’s claim to be as “big as the Super Bowl” refrain from “First Person Shooter.”
During his video announcement of the show, he also dismissed Drake’s mysterious “game two” post by noting there’s “no round twos.”
As he moves on from the winning end of a rap beef, Kendrick Lamar is set to display his genius in front of his biggest audience yet. A champion of the culture and a lover of humanity, Lamar invites all to put on their best fit and show up and show out on February 9, 2025 for an unforgettable performance.