As one of the most influential voices in hip-hop, Kendrick Lamar took the stage at the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Press Conference in New Orleans to discuss his upcoming performance and reflect on his journey. Joined by Apple Music Radio hosts Ebro Darden and Nadeska Alexis, Lamar spoke candidly about his career, the evolution of hip-hop, and the challenge of condensing 15 years of transformative music into a 13-minute set.
Lamar is the first solo hip-hop artist to headline the Super Bowl Halftime Show, a milestone that underscores the growing recognition of rap as a true art form. He reminisced about his early days of handing out mixtapes and performing in small venues, reflecting on hip-hop’s journey from underground culture to global phenomenon.
“A lot of people don’t see the story before the glory, man. That shit is like shuffling out your mixtapes, going to neighborhoods and hole-in-the-wall spots to perform,” Lamar said. “It reminds me of the essence of rap and hip-hop, and how far it can go. For me, that shit means everything. It puts the culture on the forefront, where it needs to be—not just minimized to a catchy song or verse. This is a true art form.”
Despite reaching one of the biggest stages in the world, Lamar admitted the Super Bowl Halftime Show was never part of his vision early on. Instead, his focus was always on perfecting his craft.
“I wasn’t thinking about no Super Bowl,” he said. “We was thinking about the best verse, and how we gonna split this five dollars at Church’s Chicken or something like that. But the passion I had back then is still the passion I have now. Staying present in the moment is what kept me grounded and allowed me to get to big stages like this.”
Lamar’s recent GRAMMY victories—including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for Not Like Us—reinforce hip-hop’s cultural impact. He acknowledged how the track, originally born from battle rap, helped elevate rap’s recognition on mainstream platforms.
“People think rap is just rap, and not an actual art form. But when records like that get put at the forefront, it reminds people this is bigger than just something that came 50 years ago,” he said. “It’s an accomplishment for me, but also for the culture.”
With New Orleans hosting this year’s Super Bowl, Lamar recognized the deep cultural ties between his Compton roots and the South.
“The culture and just being Black, I can’t help that, man,” he said. “It’s not something I try to downplay. I have to be who I am authentically. And if the world can’t accept that, then so be it. Whether it’s in private or on the main stage, I’m gonna put it all the way out there.”
Lamar also discussed the challenge of curating a 13-minute halftime set from his extensive catalog.
“Mr. Morale is like an hour-and-a-half tour, so you gotta smack this shit down to 13 minutes! It’s wild, but it makes you think about your catalog in a different way. For me, it’s about bringing the energy I have now as a 37-year-old artist to the stage.”
Lamar’s halftime show will also celebrate hip-hop’s legacy, as he shares the stage with SZA. He expressed admiration for her journey and artistic growth.
“Watching her career and where she’s come from is amazing to see. I’ve seen her process firsthand, and to see it now magnified is incredible. I’m just honored to be next to her talent.”
With the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show set to be one of the most anticipated performances of the year, Lamar is ready to deliver a career-defining moment, honoring the power of hip-hop and his journey from Compton to the world’s biggest stage.
