Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Selection Sparks Debate
While the announcement that Grammy Award-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar will headline the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl LIX halftime show next February was generally met with enthusiasm, some online voiced their disapproval of the selection.
The National Football League (NFL), Roc Nation, and Apple Music announced on Sunday that the rapper will perform at the Feb. 9 game in New Orleans. This will be Lamar’s second Super Bowl appearance, having previously performed with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and other California artists.
Lamar shared the news in a social media post on Sunday.
“Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date,” Lamar, whose full name is Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, stated in a press release on Sunday. “And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one.”
Fans celebrated the news, with many highlighting the fact that this has been a busy year for Lamar. In the spring, Lamar, and fellow rapper Drake, both 37, were engaged in a public feud, exchanging insults and accusations about their personal lives through diss tracks, including Lamar’s “Not Like Us.”
“OMG!!!!!!!!! THIS IS KENDRICK LAMAR’S YEAR!!!!!!” one fan exclaimed in a reply to Lamar’s post announcing the news.
“Kendrick Lamar performing ‘Not Like Us’ to the world at the Super Bowl. Might be the greatest diss of all time, I fear,” another user commented.
However, some individuals questioned Lamar’s suitability as the Super Bowl headliner, arguing that New Orleans native rapper Lil Wayne should have been chosen to perform at the show instead, considering that February’s game will be held in his hometown. Lamar hails from Compton, Calif.
On Monday, Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., addressed the online debate about whether the 41-year-old Grammy winner should have been selected for the big game. Lil Wayne has released multiple number one albums, including The Carter II, The Carter III, The Carter IV, and in 2023, he was inducted into Billboard’s Hip-Hop Hall of Fame.
“Lil Wayne def should’ve been picked to perform at the superbowl,” one user wrote. “He’s literally from New Orleans and a rap legend…”
Others pointed out that, historically, halftime show performers haven’t typically been chosen based on their hometown, but rather on factors related to their success and current relevance in pop culture.
“So I’ve looked through the list of Super Bowl halftime show performers from Michael Jackson in 1993 onward, and just calling it down the middle, I don’t understand where people had an idea that artists did hometown halftime show performances. That doesn’t seem to be a thing,” one person observed.
The Super Bowl halftime show is known for its spectacle, featuring some of the most renowned singers. Past performers include Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, and Lady Gaga.
Lamar has won 17 Grammy Awards, and was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for his album DAMN.
“Few artists have impacted music and culture as profoundly as Kendrick Lamar,” Seth Dudowsky, Head of Music at the NFL, stated in a press release. “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.”