Apple Music Hypes Super Bowl Halftime Show ft. Kendrick Lamar

Apple Music is going all-in on Kendrick Lamar ahead of his Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show.

Today, Apple highlighted the rapper’s influence on hip-hop and culture with exclusive content leading up to his performance on Superbowl Sunday, February 9, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

Lamar’s diss track on Canadian rapper Drake, ‘Not Like Us’, will be on broadcast at the half time show to about 120 million viewers. Ouch. Lamar’s song won five Grammy Awards last night, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video.

Kendrick Lamar had a massive 2024, ranking among the top 10 most-streamed artists globally. His latest album, GNX, hit No. 1 in 129 countries, and his track Not Like Us was Apple Music’s most-streamed song worldwide.

“Throughout his career, Kendrick Lamar hasn’t met the cultural moment so much as he’s defined it,” said Rachel Newman, Apple Music’s global head of content and editorial, in a statement. “He is an artist’s artist — authentic to his core. We couldn’t be more thrilled to watch him headline the third Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show this year, in what’s sure to be another moment we’ll all be talking about for decades.”

Apple went into detail (it does this annually) on what you can expect from Apple Music and Lamar, leading up to the Super Bowl Halftime Show. This basically gives Lamar incredible exposure to the Apple Music audience:

• A Road to Halftime hub featuring playlists, radio shows, and behind-the-scenes content.
• A 100-hour takeover on Apple Music Radio, with daily broadcasts from New Orleans and Los Angeles featuring interviews, DJ mixes, and throwback performances.
• A special “Kendrick Lamar: Hip-Hop’s MVP” show, covering his biggest career moments.
• The Story of Kendrick Lamar in 20 Songs, a deep dive into his best tracks.
• Exclusive perks for Shazam users, including a custom Apple Watch face and iPhone wallpaper.

Before the big game, Kendrick will sit down for a live interview on February 6 at 10 a.m. CT. Fans can watch it on Apple Music, YouTube, Facebook, X, and the NFL Network. A pre-show starts at 9:30 a.m. CT, featuring top Apple Music Radio hosts.

Get ready for your other Apple apps to feature Super Bowl content and themes:

• Apple Maps has new 3D landmarks in New Orleans, showcasing key locations like the Superdome and Cafe Du Monde.
• Apple News will feature a dedicated Super Bowl hub with coverage from major sports outlets.
• Apple Fitness+ is launching Kendrick-themed workout playlists, including cycling, strength training, and kickboxing.

You can click here to check out Kendrick’s Road to Halftime on Apple Music.