Will Kendrick Lamar be paid for Super Bowl 2025 halftime show? All you need to know

On Sunday, the NFL announced rap icon Kendrick Lamar will be headlining the Super Bowl halftime show at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Feb. 9, 2025. In a message on social media, the 17-time Grammy award winner also said he’s looking forward to bringing hip-hop to the NFL's biggest game.

Despite headlining arguably the biggest sporting event in the country, Lamar will not be getting paid for his gig at the Super Bowl halftime show. Super Bowl halftime show performers don't get paid a performance fee for the show. However, the artists bank a union scale fee that amounts to a fraction of the six- and seven-figure sums they usually rack up during concert performances.

However, getting a paycheck from the NFL is generally not one of the priorities for the performers. The exposure at the grand event helps boost album and tour sales for artists, even those who may not have anything to promote at the time.

Notably, the 2025 Super Bowl will be the second time Lamar performs at the halftime show. He previously performed as a guest artist with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg in 2022, when the Los Angeles Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the big game.

Who picks the Super Bowl halftime show performers?

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As per reports, the NFL makes a shortlist of performers for the Super Bowl halftime show. However, the host city makes the final decision on the performer.

Lamar is now confirmed to headline the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show. But there is some controversy around the decision to snub New Orleans native Lil Wayne for the event. Wayne's manager Fabian Marasciullo expressed his disapproval on social media.

Other artists including Nicki Minaj and Birdman also slammed rapper Jay-Z, a co-producer of the event, after Lamar was picked over Wayne.

Nonetheless, Jay-Z had no say in deciding the final performer. However, he released a statement on Lamar, who is set to grace the stage at the Super Bowl next year.