Kendrick Lamar is not like others taking the field, because he’s putting in the work at the 2025 Super Bowl for free.
The “Squabble Up” rapper, much like every epic halftime show performer to come before him, will not be receiving a single penny for headlining the Feb. 9 Super Bowl LIX Apple Music Halftime Show during the showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans’ Ceasars Superdome.
“We do not pay the artists,” NFL spokesperson Joanna Hunter told Forbes back in 2016. “We cover expenses and production costs.”
As for why some of music’s biggest stars—from Beyoncé to Katy Perry to The Weeknd—would put so much effort into giving a free 15-minute concert? Consider it a rite of passage.
“The halftime show at the Super Bowl remains a highly coveted spot for many artists,” entertainment attorney Lori Landew told Forbes in 2019. “Some of those artists do not see their appearance as a political statement, nor do they see the show as a cultural battleground, but rather view their live performance as an opportunity to entertain an enthusiastic crowd and to share their music and their talent with millions of viewers.”
For Kendrick, his performance at this year’s big game won’t be the first time he’s made his way to the Super Bowl stage. Indeed, he previously performed as a guest artist in 2022 alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent and Eminem. But this time around, the 37-year-old will make history as the first solo rapper to ever headline the Super Bowl.
And ahead of the historic performance, which will include a special his frequent collaborator SZA, the “All The Stars” rapper even got some advice from Usher, who brought the house down with his medley of hits during the 2024 Super Bowl.
“The one thing I would say is, savor the moment,” he told Jennifer Hudson during a recent episode of The Jennifer Hudson Show. “You get obsessed with trying to build the best performance, but you don’t realize that it’s really about enjoying it. It might not be perfect, everything might not go exactly the way it supposed to but if you are in your mind, and stuck trying to make something perfect, you’re not gonna look up and smell the flowers.”
“My encouragement to him is to really be present. I hope that he uses the moment well, there’s a lot that could be said,” the “Yeah” singer added. “There’s a lot to be said for where hip hop has come from. There’s a lot to be said for that young man and how he’s completely been an incredible benchmark for what it means to be an artist. I’m just hoping that he really maximizes that moment.”
While fans await Kendrick’s highly anticipated performance, look back at the best moments from Usher’s 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Spotlights, Big Stage, Fifty Thousand Fans Screaming
H.E.R. Takes Center Stage
Confessions: They Totally Rocked the Stage
Usher Onstage with Ludacris, Lil Jon, Jermaine Dupri and will.i.am
So Much Talent on One Stage
There’s So Many Ways to Love This Performance
This Was Something Special…
This Was Just Like Dynamite
Bodies Rockin’ From Side to Side
And He Said “Yeah!”
For Alicia Keys and Usher, It Started When They Were Younger…
They’re Feeling the Love in this Club
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh my gosh
These Two Got Us Fallin’ in Love
Fans Were Totally Caught Up in This Epic Performance
Can’t Imagine This Super Bowl Without You, Usher
