Kendrick Lamar and guest artists deliver energetic performance at Super Bowl LIX halftime

Rapper Kendrick Lamar stole the show at Super Bowl LIX halftime in New Orleans, Louisiana, on February 9, delivering an explosive performance filled with hits and surprise guests. With humorous Uncle Samuel L. Jackson as the emcee, the star-studded event already featured appearances by John Hamm, Bradley Cooper, Tom Cruise, Adam Sandler, Paul McCartney, Kevin Costner, and more, but it was Kendrick Lamar who truly lit up the stage with his halftime set, accompanied by SZA, Mustard, and a troupe of dancers.

Announced by Samuel L. Jackson dressed as Uncle Sam, Kendrick Lamar kicked off his set with a fresh verse to the tune of “wacced out murals,” standing on a black Buick Grand National before launching into his hit “Squabble Up,” set against a backdrop of dancers dressed in patriotic colors. The energetic emcee continued to hype up the crowd during Lamar’s performance, which included tracks like “Like That,” “Man at the Garden,” “Humble,” “DNA” from his 2017 album DAMN., and the fiery Drake diss track “Not Like Us.”

In a build-up to the anticipated show, Lamar hinted at the size of the field, teasing fans with the promise of special guests. SZA was the first surprise collaborator, gracing the stage to perform “luther” with Lamar, leading into their hit track “ALL THE STARS” from the Black Panther soundtrack. Mustard then joined the rapper on stage for “tv off,” providing a perfect finale to the set, marked by Lamar asserting, “Walk in New Orleans with the etiquette of L.A.”

And was that tennis superstar Serena Williams making an appearance? Fans were in for a treat with Lamar as this year’s headliner following the release of his sixth studio album, GNX, which features SZA on multiple tracks. The talented duo has a solid history of collaborations, as SZA also enlisted Lamar’s vocals on her latest album, Lana. Flashback to Kendrick’s previous headlining performance at Super Bowl LVI halftime in 2021, alongside music heavyweights Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Mary J. Blige, with special guests 50 Cent and Anderson .Paak.

With an action-packed halftime show at Super Bowl LIX, Kendrick Lamar once again proved why he is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry, leaving fans and viewers in awe of his electrifying performance with special guests SZA and Mustard.