Kendrick Lamar is bringing along an old friend for his Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show performance with the announcement that his frequent collaborator and former label mate SZA will join him on stage.
In a promotional clip shared on his social media accounts, Lamar is shown chatting on his cell on a football field, stating that he has plans to bring another artist along during the performance. “I’ve been thinking about a guest performer,” he states before getting cut off by SZA, who spills a cooler of blue drink onto him in slow motion.
The guest appearance doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as the two have long been collaborators. Most recently, SZA turned up for two songs — “Luther” and “Gloria” — on Lamar’s surprise-released album “GNX,” while he returned the favor on SZA’s “30 for 30” off “Lana.”
The Super Bowl performance is a well-timed tee-up for Lamar and SZA’s upcoming 2025 Grand National Tour, slated to kick off in Minnesota on Apr. 19. The 19-date trek will make stops in Atlanta, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Detroit and Los Angeles, before wrapping at Washington, D.C. on June 18.
Super Bowl LIX is scheduled to be played on February 9, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans and will air on Fox. The telecast will be produced by DPS with Roc Nation and Jesse Collins serving as executive producers. Hamish Hamilton will direct, while creative direction is being handled by pgLang.
The performance will be Lamar’s second during the halftime show, following his featured spot during 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 resulted in a resounding win for the Compton-born rapper, but one of the year’s biggest songs with “Not Like Us.”
Catch @kendricklamar with guest @sza. #AppleMusicHalftime #SBLIX https://t.co/VxWPUamYKp@pgLang @RocNation @NFL @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/9aQCv9mCvH
— Apple Music (@AppleMusic) January 23, 2025