What time does Kendrick Lamar perform? What to know about the Super Bowl halftime show

For many Americans, the Super Bowl is just another opportunity to see one of the biggest artists in the country put on a show of a lifetime.

Kendrick Lamar, a 22-time Grammy-winning rapper, headlines the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show. Lamar shared the news in September via a YouTube video that showed him on a football field in front of a giant American flag.

“Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date,” Lamar said in a statement. “And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one.”

But what time will the “Not Like Us” rapper hit the mainstage? What songs will he perform during Super Bowl 59? Here’s everything to know about the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show.

When is Super Bowl 2025?

Super Bowl 59 is Sunday, Feb. 9.

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What time is the Super Bowl?

Kickoff to Super Bowl 59 is at 6:30 p.m. ET.

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What time is the Super Bowl halftime show?

The game begins at 6:30 p.m. ET, and the halftime show starts at about 8 p.m. However, the time is dependent on how long the first half goes.

Who else is performing at the 2025 Super Bowl?

Grammy-winning R&B singer SZA will also join Lamar as a special guest for the performance Feb. 9, USA TODAY reports.

Lamar and SZA have collaborated numerous times, including on “30 for 30” from her December album “Lana.” SZA also appeared on the tracks “Luther” and “Gloria” from Lamar’s latest album “GNX,” which dropped in November. Their 2018 track “All the Stars” from “Black Panther: The Album” received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.

Jon Batiste, a Louisiana native and five-time Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter, will perform the national anthem. Fellow Louisiana natives and music icons Trombone Shorty, Lauren Daigle and Ledisi will also be part of the Super Bowl’s pregame entertainment.

Who is Kendrick Lamar?

Lamar – born Kendrick Lamar Duckworth on June 17, 1987, in Compton, California – released his first album, “Section.80,” in 2011 after being signed to Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records.

But it was Lamar’s next release – “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City” in 2012 – that sent him into the mainstream. The sophomore album spent more than 12 years on the Billboard 200 album charts.

Lamar’s albums have sold nearly 8 million copies in the United States, with four hitting No. 1 on the charts. Lamar has won 22 Grammy Awards, five coming this year: Best Music Video, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

Lamar also won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize in Music for his album “Damn,” becoming the first non-classical or jazz artist to be awarded. Lamar made a guest appearance in the Super Bowl 56 halftime show, headlined by fellow Los Angeles-based rappers Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, in 2022.

How long is halftime at the Super Bowl?

According to Sports Illustrated, the Super Bowl halftime usually lasts anywhere from 20-30 minutes, which is almost twice as long as a regular season NFL game. However, the halftime performances usually only last 12-15 minutes, per the Indy Star.

What songs are Kendrick Lamar performing at the Super Bowl?

Lamar has not announced a setlist for his Super Bowl halftime show, but USA TODAY speculates he will likely play his 2024 hit “Not Like Us.”

It also theorizes that the halftime show will include the first live performances from Lamar’s latest album “GNX,” such as “Squabble Up” and “TV Off.” Lamar may also lean on some hits from past albums like “Humble” or “DNA,” both of which are from his fourth studio album, “Damn.”

Other possible tracks include “Alright” and “King Kunta” from his third album, “To Pimp a Butterfly,” and “Money Trees” and “M.A.A.D. City” from his second album, “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. city.”

Since SZA is the special guest, viewers can also expect her and Lamar to perform at least one of their hit collaborations, such as “All the Stars” from the “Black Panther” movie soundtrack, “Luther” or “Gloria” from Lamar’s album “GNX,” or “30 for 30” from SZA’s “Lana.”