Don’t expect Kendrick Lamar to sit down and be humble at the 2025 Super Bowl.
Like Rihanna, Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry and many more superstars before him, count on the rapper to put on a showstopping performance when he headlines the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Feb. 9 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
Of course, it won’t be Kendrick’s first time on the field during the big game, as the 37-year-old—who’s fresh off a clean sweep at the Grammys 2025—previously joined Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Mary J. Blige for a hip hop-centric halftime set in 2022. And he won’t be on his own this time either, as his longtime collaborator SZA is set to appear as a special guest during the performance.
While halftime performers are typically given less than 15 minutes to wow audiences, it usually doesn’t take them long to to deliver an iconic moment. For instance, RiRi sent social media into a frenzy within seconds of kicking off her 2023 performance when she opened her red jumpsuit to reveal she was expecting baby No. 2 with partner A$AP Rocky.
And she’s not the only artist who has used the massive platform to make a statement. When Jennifer Lopez headlined alongside Shakira in 2020, her child Emme sang a portion of her hit “Let’s Get Loud” inside a cage as a commentary on reports that migrant children were being separated from their parents at the time.
But while the halftime show is the perfect platform to make pop culture history, earning the coveted gig isn’t just about delighting a crowd. After Usher headlined the event in 2024 alongside special guests including Alicia Keys, Ludacris and Lil Jon, he offered Kendrick some wise words about making the most of the big night.
"Savor the moment,” the R&B star said during an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show Feb. 4. “You get obsessed with trying to build the best performance, but you don’t realize that it’s really about enjoying it.”
Keep scrolling for some of the most memorable moments from previous Super Bowl Halftime Shows…
20. Bruno Mars and Red Hot Chili Peppers (2014)
Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers brought the heat to their 2014 Super Bowl performance! Mars kick-started the show with a powerful drum solo before launching into a medley of hits, including "Locked Out of Heaven," "Runaway Baby" and "Treasure," before being joined on stage by the iconic rock and roll band for a high-octane performance of "Give It Away" that had everyone jumping.
19. Coldplay, Beyoncé, and Bruno Mars (2016)
As Coldplay's Chris Martin sang to open up the 2016 Super Bowl halftime show, "Look at the stars!" The star-studded performance saw the rock band joined by both Beyoncé and Bruno Mars to perform a collection of their hits, including "Viva La Vida," "Uptown Funk" and "Formation."
18. Paul McCartney (2005)
At the 2005 Super Bowl halftime show, Paul McCartney showed that classic rock will never go out of style. The iconic singer-songwriter floated from hit after hit, performing "Drive My Car," "Get Back," "Live and Let Die," before culminating his performance with a feel-good performance of "Hey Jude" that got the whole crowd singing along.
17. The Weeknd (2021)
It was hard not to be dazzled by the blinding lights of The Weeknd's flawless 2021 Super Bowl halftime performance. The "Starboy" singer brought down the house all by himself as he ran through an impressive list of songs including "The Hills," "Earned It," "Save Your Tears," "I Can't Feel My Face" and "I Feel It Coming" amongst others.
16. Black Eyed Peas, Usher, and Slash (2011)
"Boom Boom Pow!" This Super Bowl Halftime Show packed a serious punch with knockout performances from the Black Eyed Peas, Usher, and Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash, but many viewers questioned the sound quality at times.
15. Katy Perry, Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott (2015)
We only need two words to explain why this Halftime Show went viral: Left Shark.
14. The Who (2010)
Who were the band who played back in 2010? One of the most-celebrated rock bands of all time, The Who, of course! The band performed a medley of their hits on the Super Bowl stage, including "Pinball Wizard," "Who Are You," "Won't Get Fooled Again" and "Baba O'Riley."
13. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (2008)
His performance has been underrated because it's obviously not as flashy as some of the others, but Petty's set was filled with rock-solid hits like "American Girl," "Won't Back Down," "Free Fallin'" and "Running Down a Dream." 10 years ago, he came, he delivered, he smiled. May he RIP.
12. Justin Timberlake (2018)
While there were no nipples in this one, reviews about Timberlake's solo performance back in 2018 were mixed.
11. Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band (2009)
"I want you to step back from the guacamole dip, I want you to put the chicken fingers down and turn your television all the way up," the singer said onstage. And who are we to deny the Boss?
10. The Rolling Stones (2006)
No matter when or where The Stones have performed, Mick Jagger and his unruly lads have brought it for more than 50 years and that was certainly the case when they started up the NFL crowd with tunes like "Rough Justice" and "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction."
9. Aerosmith, Britney Spears, 'NSYNC, Nelly and Mary J. Blige (2001)
Basically every single person in the music industry was on this Super Bowl stage. It was pandemonium. The show was during the height of boy bands, popstars and bubblegum tunes and remains one of the most iconic performances to this day.
8. Madonna, CeeLo Green, and LMFAO (2012)
It was a spectacular spectacle, complete with a Cleopatra costume, a gospel choir and some sort of cheerleader outfit-type thingy. We felt it. You felt it. Football felt it. And nothing will truly ever be the same.
7. Sting, Shania Twain and No Doubt (2003)
In his first play (or song rather), Sting stung the audience with an update on his classic, "Message in a Bottle." Gwen Stefani came out to the crowd rocking her washboard abs, baggy pants and glittering bustier. The whole thing was a blast and the crowd loved every second.
6. Jennifer Lopez and Shakira (2020)
The two Latin Pop stars turned up the heat for the Super Bowl LV Halftime Show in 2020, both delighting audiences and making others clutch their pearls with their electric performances. J Balvin and Bad Bunny joined in, while J.Lo's daughter Emmy showcased her singing chops onstage as well!
5. Diana Ross (1996)
The former Supremes singer was nothing short of supreme when she rocked the house at the Halftime Show. The queen did an amazing four costume changes in just 12 minutes. The timeless entertainer belted "You Keep Me Hanging on," "Baby Love" and "I Will Survive" before heading out on a helicopter, as one does when you're Diana Ross.
4. Beyoncé (2013)
After lip-syncing the national anthem at Obama's second inauguration the month before, Bey knew she had to bring her A game to the Super Bowl—and that's just what she did. Jay-Z's lady love made it clear as day that she was singing live at the Superdome in New Orleans, killing her vocals and wowing the crowd. Midway through she practically gave fans a heart attack when Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland joined her onstage for a Destiny's Child reunion. Slay, Bey, slaaaaaaaay!
3. Lady Gaga (2017)
Lady G didn't raise the roof, she sang "God Bless America" and then she literally jumped off it. Well, sort of. After that high-flying start, the superstar singer broke into "Poker Face." It was thrilling; it was over the top; it was all Gaga all the time and fans went gaga for it. There was no meat dress, no blood, no giant glowing egg—just an action-packed performance that made you think that the "Bad Romance" singer was born to be on the 50-yard line.
2. Michael Jackson (1993)
In a masterful move that only the King of Pop could have the audacity to pull off, MJ stood on stage for a full 90 seconds (remember you only get 13 minutes max) without moving. The smooth criminal had the audience in the palm of his hand when he busted into "Jam." The master performer then broke into "Billie Jean" and "Black or White." There were fedoras, crotch grabs, leg spins (and kicks) and oh-so-much entertainment. The pop star then used the entire audience in Rose Bowl to create giant portraits of children as he closed with "Heal the World."
1. Prince (2007)
The artist formerly known as The Artist Formerly Known as Prince perfected the Super Bowl Halftime show when he performed a musical montage of "We Will Rock You," "Let's Go Crazy," "Baby I'm a Star," "Proud Mary," "All Along the Watchtower," "Best of You" and, of course, "Purple Rain"—during a downpour!