(Image via rollingstone.com)
Volunteer Writer: Samantha McCarthy
Email: smccarthy12@umassd.edu
Kendrick Lamar is set to headline the halftime show of Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, LA. Super Bowl LIX will take place on February 9th, 2025.
Both Lamar and the NFL made this statement official last Sunday, causing an uprising from Lil Wayne and his fans.
This announcement brought mixed reactions from the public as the New Orleans-born rapper Lil Wayne was expected to be chosen for the performance because of his connection with the area.
Lil Wayne had made it known that he was interested in performing at the Super Bowl since the location was announced in 2023. This let down both fans and Lil Wayne himself, as he expressed his frustration via Instagram Live, stating, “That hurt. It hurt a lot,” and later continued, “But I thought that was nothing better than that spot and that stage and that platform in my city, so it hurt.”
Lil Wayne then spoke to his fans, saying, “I feel like I let all of y’all down by not getting that opportunity, but I’m working on me, and I’m working. So thank you.” Many have turned this anger towards Jay-Z, with whom Lil Wayne has had a complicated past.
As of 2019, critically acclaimed rapper Jay-Z and his agency, Roc Nation, have co-produced the halftime show. Having to defend his selection for the Super Bowl headliner, Jay-Z made a statement, saying, “Kendrick Lamar is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer [. . .] his impact will be felt for years to come.”
This will not be Kendrick Lamar’s first time being a part of the halftime show, as he performed alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, Anderson .Paak and Mary J. Blige at the 2022 Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA.
The Compton- raised artist has been in the spotlight recently with multiple releases that have made their way into the mainstream world.
While Lamar has not released an album since Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers in May 2022, he has commercially released three singles in 2024, all of which spent weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. “Not Like Us”, one of Lamar’s single tracks which was released in May has swept across the nation. Making its way onto charts for 18 weeks and being used across various social media platforms, it has become one of his most streamed songs with 766.6 million streams on Spotify.
Being the only rapper to receive a Pulitzer Prize, Kendrick Lamar was presented this award in 2018 for the musical composition of his 2017 studio release DAMN.
He has also acquired 17 Grammy Awards and 50 nominations for various albums and performances, making Lamar a highly regarded figure in the rap community who has been placed in the rankings for greatest rapper of all time by both Forbes Magazine and Billboard.
His career began to take off in 2012 with his major-label debut studio album good kid, m.A.A.d city. This album follows adolescent Kendrick Lamar as he faces issues such as drug dealing and gang violence in his hometown of Compton, CA.
Since then, his music has been highly regarded, speaking on issues such as race and political and justice issues within modern society.
In more recent years, Lamar has collaborated with many different artists such as Beyoncé, SZA, Rihanna, and Travis Scott. He also received high praise for the production of the soundtrack release for the 2018 film, Black Panther.
“Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date, and I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one,” Lamar stated shortly after the announcement.