SUPER BOWL
Kendrick Lamar will perform the halftime show at Super Bowl 59, with the hip-hop superstar taking center stage once the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles reach intermission of today’s NFL championship game.
Lamar should be a huge draw, especially after his hit “Not Like Us” remains in the headlines after a huge night at the Grammys. Last summer, the L.A. native’s “The Pop Out” concert had a major cultural impact, underlining Lamar’s potential to deliver on the biggest stage while incorporating other big-name guests.
SZA has been confirmed to be joining Lamar for the halftime show at New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome, but little is known about the guest list beyond that. That, in turn informs the setlist, with Lamar having too many hits to pack into a tight window before the Super Bowl resumes.
Here’s what we know about the songs Kendrick Lamar could play at Super Bowl 59:
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Kendrick Lamar halftime setlist: What we know
Kendrick Lamar has scores of hit songs to play at the Super Bowl 59 halftime show, but he’s keeping his plans to himself so far. Part of any artist’s repertoire is the element of surprise, and Kendrick surely knows that part of the “wow” factor would be lost if he provided a setlist ahead of time.
Still, there are some songs we suspect Kendrick will do. One of the only solid details for the halftime show is that Kendrick will have SZA as a guest, which opens the door for several of their collaborations. Their biggest hit, 2018’s “All the Stars,” feels like a leading candidate for Sunday, but it feels safe to expect more than that. “GNX,” Kendrick’s most recent album, includes two songs featuring SZA: “Luther” and “Gloria.” The pair could also pull from SZA’s album, with “30 For 30” a huge hit off of last year’s “Lana.”
Beyond his songs with SZA, it seems well within the realm of possibility that the two other singles off of “GNX” (“TV Off” and “Squabble Up”) will be in the mix. Kendrick has talked about wanting “storytelling” to be a major theme of the show, which could mean a medley connecting some of his songs to those of his yet-to-be-announced guests.
The song that has piqued the most interest is whether Kendrick will perform “Not Like Us.” The mega-hit won five Grammys earlier this month, but directs accusations of pedophilia against Drake as part of a long-running feud. Last month, Drake sued Universal Music Group for promoting the song, and it remains to be seen how Fox or the NFL will approach the situation.
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How to watch Super Bowl 2025: Time, TV channel, streaming
Super Bowl 59 will be broadcast nationwide on Fox. Streaming options include Fubo, which is offering a free trial for new subscribers, or Tubi.
- Date: Sunday, Feb. 9
- Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
- TV: Fox
- Streaming: Fubo, Tubi
- Location: Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
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