There were many ways the NFL could have gone to figure out how it performed at halftime of Super Bowl 59.

The spectacle, which takes place in the middle of America’s largest annual sporting event, often stays with viewers long after the music has stopped. With this year’s game taking place in New Orleans, there were a number of artists in position to come out on top on Super Bowl Sunday.

Lil Wayne was closely associated with the responsibility, an understandable recommendation given his Big Easy roots. In the end, the NFL chose another rapper who was on their radar. He was certainly a popular choice.

Here’s what you need to know about the star of the Super Bowl 59 halftime show, who will hope to follow in the footsteps of Usher, Rihanna, The Who and Prince and many others who have starred on the biggest stage in America Sport.

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Who will perform during halftime of Super Bowl 59?

Kendrick Lamar will grace the marquee for the Super Bowl 59 halftime show in New Orleans.

The main character regularly calls on a group of other characters to join them on stage. No special guests have been announced yet, although Lamar has a treasure trove of artists he could call upon if he so chooses.

This won’t be Lamar’s first Super Bowl rodeo. In 2022, Lamar took the stage and performed alongside Dr. Dre up. The legendary producer also enlisted Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Mary J. Blige to sing alongside him during his performance.

Lamar has 57 Grammy nominations and 17 Grammy winners to his credit. He recently released his acclaimed sixth studio album “GNX”. Some believe there is more music to come for the Compton-based artist in 2025.

When does the Super Bowl halftime show start?

The Super Bowl begins at 6:30 p.m. ET and the first half ends about 90 minutes later. Halftime starts around 8 p.m. Halftime lasts approximately 20 to 30 minutes and includes the setup and dismantling of the performance and production.

Who is Kendrick Lamar?

Lamar is one of the greatest poets of his generation and has achieved worldwide recognition over the course of his two-decade career.

The 37-year-old built a loyal following in the late 2000s and early 2010s and released two high-profile releases – the mixtape Overly Dedicated (2009) and debut studio album Section.80 (2011). In 2012, he released Good Kid, MAAD City, a massive record that spawned the hit singles “Money Trees,” “B-, Don’t Kill My Vibe,” “Poetic Justice” and “Backseat Freestyle.”

Since then, Lamar has gone from strength to strength, releasing another four albums as well as a few other projects. Almost all of his releases have received some form of critical praise.

Lamar leaves his banner in 2024 and returns to the top of the rap charts after a high-profile feud with Drake. His Super Bowl appearance, while arguably at odds with some of his previous views, should give him another opportunity to take a victory lap.

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Will artists be paid for the Super Bowl halftime show?

The simple answer is nothing. Zero. Nothing. Nada. Super Bowl players don’t receive a single cent for their achievements. That doesn’t mean the NFL is abandoning these musicians without a paddle.

The league will cover the cost of the theater performance. That is, the cloud of smoke you see when Lamar takes the stage? The NFL writes this check. The sturdy stage structure flooded with shimmering strobe lights? This is also handled by the league’s accountants. Often, the Hollywood-level cinematography required for a top-notch performance can make the NFL millions of dollars.

Free labor is not ideal. But performing at the Super Bowl can – and has – become economically viable for some musical performers. The reason why? It provides a platform to introduce their sound to billions of people who have never interacted with it.

Super Bowl halftime performers generally experience a sudden spike in their streaming numbers after their show. That means more streams, more sales and more money. According to Billboard, Maroon 5’s sales increased 434 percent on the day of their halftime show in 2019. Justin Timberlake experienced a similar resurgence, increasing his album sales by 534 percent after his performance in 2018. Lady Gaga’s numbers reportedly increased by 1,000 percent after she made a splash at Super Bowl 51 in 2017.

Who will sing the national anthem at Super Bowl 59?

Five-time Grammy winner and New Orleans native Jon Batiste will perform “The Star-Splanged Banner” at Super Bowl 59.

History of Super Bowl Halftime Show Performers

Super Bowl	Year	Actor
1	1967	“Super Sighs and Sounds” with bands from the University of Arizona and Grambling State University
2	1968	Grambling State University Volume
3	1969	“America Thank” featuring the Florida A&M University band and high school bands from the Miami area
4	1970	“Tribute to New Orleans” with the Southern University Band, Al Hirt, Lionel Hampton, Doc Severinsen and Marguerite Piazza
5	1971	Band from Southeast Missouri
6	1972	“Salute to Louis Armstrong” with Ella Fitzgerald, Carol Channing, Al Hirt and the US Marine Corps Drill Team
7	1973	“Happiness Is…” with the University of Michigan Band, Andy Williams and Woody Herman
8	1974	“A Musical America” with the University of Texas Band
9	1975	“Tribute to Duke Ellington” featuring the Mercer Ellington and Grambling State University bands
10	1976	“200 Years and Only One Baby: A Tribute to America’s Bicentennial” with Up With People
11	1977	Walt Disney Productions’ “It’s a Small World,” complete with audience members waving colorful posters on cue
12	1978	“From Paris to the Paris of America” with Pete Fountain, Al Hirt and The Apache Band
13	1979	“Salute to the Caribbean” with Ken Hamilton and various bands
14	1980	“A Salute to the Big Band Era” with Up With People
15	1981	“A Mardi Gras Festival” with Pete Fountain and the Southern University Band
16	1982	“A Salute to the 60s and Motown” with Up With People
17	1983	“KaleidoSUPERscope” (a kaleidoscope of color and sound, also with colored posters held by the viewer)
18	1984	“Greetings to the Superstars of the Screen” from Walt Disney Productions
19	1985	“A world full of children’s dreams” with tops in blue
20	1986	“Beat of the Future” with Up With People
21	1987	“Salute to Hollywood’s 100th Anniversary and The Land of Make Believe,” a Disney production featuring high school bands
22	1988	“Something Grand” with Chubby Checker, 88 Wings, the Rockettes and the bands USC and San Diego State
23	1989	“BeBop Bamboozled” with 3D effects
24	1990	“Salute to New Orleans” and “40th Anniversary of Peanuts” characters with Doug Kershaw and Irma Thomas
25	1991	“A little global salute to 25 years of the Super Bowl” with New Kids on the Block
26	1992	“Winter Magic” with Gloria Estefan and figure skaters Brian Boitano and Dorothy Hamill
27	1993	“Heal the World” with Michael Jackson
28	1994	“Rockin’ Country Sunday” with Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, Wynonna and Naomi Judd
29	1995	Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye with Tony Bennett, Patti LaBelle, Arturo Sandoval and the Miami Sound Machine
30	1996	“Take Me Higher: A Celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the Super Bowl” with Diana Ross
31	1997	“Blues Brothers Bash” with Dan Akroyd, John Goodman, James Belushi, James Brown and ZZ Top
32	1998	“A Tribute to Motown’s 40th Anniversary” featuring Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, Queen Latifah, Martha Reeves and The Temptations
33	1999	“Celebration of Soul, Salsa and Swing” with Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Savion Glover
34	2000	“A Tapestry of Nations” with Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias and Toni Braxton
35	2001	“The Kings of Rock and Pop” featuring Aerosmith and NSYNC with guests Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige and Nelly
36	2002	U2
37	2003	Shania Twain and No Doubt with guest Sting
38	2004	“Choose or Lose” with Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Kid Rock, P. Diddy, Nelly and Jessica Simpson
39	2005	Paul McCartney
40	2006	The Rolling Stones
41	2007	prince
42	2008	Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
43	2009	Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
44	2010	The WHO
45	2011	The Black Eyed Peas with guests Usher and Slash
46	2012	Madonna with guests Cee Lo Green, LMFAO, MIA and Nicki Minaj
47	2013	Beyoncé with guests Destiny’s Child
48	2014	Bruno Mars with guests Red Hot Chili Peppers
49	2015	Katy Perry with guests Missy Elliott and Lenny Kravitz
50	2016	Coldplay with guests Beyoncé and Bruno Mars
51	2017	Lady Gaga
52	2018	Justin Timberlake
53	2019	Maroon 5 with guests Travis Scott and Big Boi
54	2020	Shakira and Jennifer Lopez with guests Bad Bunny and J Balvin
55	2021	The Weeknd
56	2022	Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar
57	2023	Rihanna
58	2024	Usher with guests Alicia Keys, Jermaine Dupri, HER, Ludacris, Lil Jon, Will.I.Am
59	2025	Kendrick Lamar