Kendrick Lamar will headline the Super Bowl LIX halftime show, organizers announced Sunday.
Lamar, the NFL and its partners announced the news at the start of the first full day of the 2024 football season.
“Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date. And I’ll be there to remind the world why,” Lamar said in a statement. “They got the right one.”
Lamar, 37, previously performed as a guest at Super Bowl LVI in February 2022 in Los Angeles, alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige and Eminem.
He announced his return to the big game in a YouTube video from a football field and a simple tweet that read, “Super Bowl LIX. New Orleans.”
“His deep love for hip hop and culture informs his artistic vision,” said Jay-Z, who partnered with the NFL a few years ago as the head of Roc Nation. “He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture globally. Kendrick’s work transcends music, and his impact will be felt for years to come.”
Though Lamar has not released an album since 2022’s “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers,” he still had one of the most popular songs of the summer in “Not Like Us.” The diss track was the culmination of a yearslong feud with Drake and topped the Billboard charts.
Earlier in the feud, on the song “First Person Shooter,” Drake and J. Cole claimed their own collaboration was “big as the Super Bowl.” However, neither of them has ever performed at the game.
Lamar did not mention that part of the feud in his announcement Sunday.
“Few artists have impacted music and culture as profoundly as Kendrick Lamar,” NFL head of music Seth Dudowsky said. “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.”
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