Anticipation is building for Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show, set to take place tonight (February 9).
In the game itself, the Kansas City Chiefs will be looking to defend their championship title for a third consecutive year — this time against the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s all set to kick off in New Orleans, Louisiana, beginning at 6:30 p.m. EST.
Lamar, 37, is no stranger to the biggest stage in American sport. He came out as a guest performer when Dr Dre headlined the event in 2022, along with Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Mary J Blige.
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The Super Bowl often attracts a diverse range of surprise guests. Last year, headliner Usher brought out Alicia Keys, Lil Jon, Ludacris and HER.
One guest who won’t be a surprise during Lamar’s set is SZA. The 35-year-old singer is a frequent collaborator of Lamar’s and is soon set to join him on tour. It has already been confirmed that she will appear alongside the Grammy-winning rapper at the Super Bowl, although she’s keeping tight-lipped about exactly what role she’ll be playing.
“That’s King Kendrick’s performance and that it is all for him to divulge,” SZA told New York Daily News at last weekend’s Grammys. “What I can say is he’s worked really hard on it, and I’m so honored to be a part of it and I’m so honored to even know him and exist in the same time as someone as brilliant as him.”
One of the more outlandish rumors about Kendrick’s potential guests involved the recently reunited Oasis and British indie band Kero Kero Bonito.
Back in September, a screenshot circulated online purporting to be a leaked setlist for the Super Bowl. It showed Kero Kero Bonito and Oasis teaming up with the rapper to sing “Rock’n’Roll Star.”
NME reported that when Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher was asked about the rumor, he joked: “How’s that leaked ffs.”
One artist who has ruled himself out of appearing is Tyler, the Creator. After many fans online speculated he might join Lamar, the former Odd Future leader posted in a social media reply: “n**** im on tour i will not be at [a] football game yall better watch kenny.”
A recent poll of over 3,000 NFL fans by VegasInsider found that the guests most people want to see with Lamar are Eminem, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift. Swift was also heavily rumored to perform with Usher last year after flying back from Japan to watch her boyfriend Travis Kelce play for the Chiefs, but she did not ultimately take the stage.
Lamar’s setlist is still being kept firmly under wraps, but it seems a safe bet he’ll perform his Drake diss track “Not Like Us,” which swept the board at the Grammys winning Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
Based on recent performances and new album GNX, Lamar could play:
As is usual for the Super Bowl, Lamar will not be paid for his performance.
