Kendrick Lamar will perform at the halftime show of Apple Music Super Bowl LIX 2025, Roc Nation, Apple Music and the NFL announced Sunday.

Super Bowl LIX is scheduled to be played on February 9, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans and broadcast on Fox.

The performance will be Lamar’s second during the halftime show, following his appearance on Dr. Dre’s 2022 All-Star Tag Team of Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent. It also follows Lamar’s musical battle with Drake earlier this year, which not only ended in a resounding victory for the Compton-born rapper, but also one of the biggest songs of the year in “Not Like Us.”

That spirit is continued in Lamar’s statement about the move: “Rap music is still the most influential genre to date,” he said. “And I’ll be there to remind the world why. You’ve found the right thing.”

Roc Nation founder Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter said, “Kendrick Lamar is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer. His deep love for hip-hop and culture shapes his artistic vision. He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture worldwide. Kendrick’s work transcends music and his influence will be felt for years to come.”

Lamar’s performance will be creatively directed by his company pgLang, which also managed his rousing “Big Steppers” tour, which ran from 2022 until earlier this year.

Lamar’s performance follows last year’s Usher (who was joined by Alicia Keys, Ludacris and HER), as well as Rihanna, who performed at the 2023 halftime show—and pregnant!—and the 2022 all-star tag team of Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent.

Since the release of his pivotal major label debut, “Good Kid, mAAd City,” in 2012, Lamar has become arguably the most important and influential rapper in the world. He has won 17 Grammy awards and in 2018 became the first non-classical, non-jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize for his 2017 album “Damn.” His latest album, “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers,” was released in May 2022.

In April of this year, “Like That” by Future, Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar – which opened the battle with Drake – spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. In June, “Not Like Us” spent two weeks at No. 1.

The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX halftime show will be produced by DPS, with Roc Nation and Jesse Collins serving as executive producers and Hamish Hamilton serving as director. Roc Nation will also serve as strategic entertainment advisor for the live performance.

Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music, Apple TV+, Sports and Beats, said: “The Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show is a celebration of the music we love and the incredible artists who make it – all on the biggest stage in the world. Apple is thrilled to bring this show, featuring the absolutely incomparable Kendrick Lamar, to fans around the world – with Apple Music’s industry-leading spatial audio quality, plus countless exclusive videos, interviews, playlists and more on Apple Music.”

Seth Dudowsky, NFL music director, said: “Few artists have had as profound an impact on music and culture as Kendrick Lamar. Time and time again, Kendrick has demonstrated his unique ability to create moments that resonate, redefine and ultimately shake the foundations of hip-hop. We are thrilled to partner with Kendrick, Roc Nation and Apple Music to deliver another unforgettable halftime show.”

Earlier this year, Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII, featuring Usher, became the most-watched halftime show of all time, earning three 2024 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Variety Special (LIVE). In 2023, Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show, featuring Rihanna, received five Emmy nominations and took home two, including Outstanding Directing For A Variety Special, a first in Super Bowl Halftime history. In 2022, Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show, featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar, received five Creative Arts Emmy nominations. The critically acclaimed performance won three Emmys, including Outstanding Variety Special (Live), a first for the show.