The Super Bowl’s iconic halftime show — once an intermission of college marching bands — now carries the weight of America’s entertainment expectations. It forces artists to distill their vast discographies into a grand spectacle of just 15 minutes. Super Bowl LIX’s showdown Sunday in New Orleans between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs will be bridged by famed Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar, who has the task of synthesizing two decades of his hip-hop excellence into his second — but first headlining — Super Bowl halftime appearance.
Given Lamar’s wildly successful musical campaign in 2024, his current popularity in entertainment makes him a fitting figure for one of America’s biggest shows. Joined by frequent collaborator and now guest performer, R&B singer SZA, his upcoming performance will likely be charismatic, melodic and dominant. This setlist prediction, in order, balances recent hits and fan-favorites, outlining what could be 15 minutes of hip-hop history Sunday.
1. “tv off”
The opening track in Lamar’s 2022 LVI Super Bowl cameo, “m.A.A.d city,” was energetic and abrasive, immediately drawing the crowd in. Lamar will want to reproduce that electrifying introduction Sunday, and “tv off” from his 2024 album “GNX” is a perfect fit for that. Lamar even explicitly references the upcoming performance on “tv off,” with the lyric “Walk in New Orleans with the etiquette of LA, yellin’.”
This song would not only build upon his previous Super Bowl appearance, it would also command the crowd’s attention with lyrics such as the emphatically screamed “Mustard,” which prompts a beat switch alongside heroic trumpets. The lyric quickly became a comedic and musical catchphrase after its release, with icon LeBron James lip-syncing along, and even the NFL X account itself referencing it. As a smash hit from Lamar’s recent and currently hyped “GNX”, “tv off” is an absolute must for Lamar’s performance and could immediately set the tone for the rest of the thunderous halftime show.
2. “HUMBLE.”
Continuing the themes of staying true to one’s confidence, 2017’s “HUMBLE.” as the second song in the setlist would feature thrilling and upbeat instrumentals and lyrics of confidence and poise. The track is aggressive and confrontational, demanding the audience’s attention and maintaining the show’s energetic introduction.
Additionally, from a visual perspective, “HUMBLE.” provides a wonderful opportunity for Lamar and his backup dancers to provoke viewers while referencing its legendary music video, with scenes of nodding, flaming heads and religious iconography. The song is Lamar’s highest streamed of all on Spotify with nearly two and a half billion streams, so adding to why Lamar’s live rendition of it would be an ultimate crowd-pleaser.
3. “King Kunta”
Lamar’s 2015 album “To Pimp a Butterfly” is one of his most coveted artistic works, certainly deserving of a feature in the upcoming halftime show. As the second-highest streamed song on the album, behind “Alright,” which Lamar had performed in 2022’s halftime show, “King Kunta” is an ideal shift into a less intense, more groovy section of the act.
The song’s music video pays much visual homage to Lamar’s hometown of Compton, giving him an opportunity to highlight his roots within the show too, perhaps with the help of dancers emulating the jerky, Compton-style dance moves in the video.The song’s funky, swinging instrumentals and bouncy vocals could lean into a refreshing and entirely different aesthetic of visuals and dance.
4. “luther” ft. SZA
Following the success of their recent blockbuster collaboration “luther,” SZA's guest appearance in Lamar's Super Bowl LIX halftime show feels like a natural extension of their musical partnership. Another hit off Lamar’s most recent album “GNX,” “luther” would likely be fresh in audiences’ minds, and was seated atop Billboard’s Hot R&B and Hip-Hop Songs chart for seven consecutive weeks.
In this song, SZA’s vocal range compliments Lamar’s creativity and lyrical ability across their shared works. “luther” in particular, sonically flows well from “King Kunta,” as SZA’s hook creates a soft and airy atmosphere. The track is dreamy, calm and smooth, sure to make audiences sway side to side.
5. “All the Stars” ft. SZA
Nearing two billion streams, “All the Stars” is Lamar’s second-most streamed song on Spotify, and a surefire track for a show featuring both Lamar and SZA. From Lamar’s 2018 soundtrack to the Marvel film “Black Panther,” the song is inherently grand and cinematic with its heavy-hitting drums and synth bass, lending itself perfectly to a production such as the halftime show. It is catchy and dramatic, with the ideal balance of Lamar’s hip-hop verses and SZA’s soaring and uplifting hooks.
A performance of “All the Stars” may well end up being the halftime show’s visual peak, with an adherence to cosmic motifs, with “stars” lighting up the stadium and stage design. The track’s chorus also offers SZA a powerful spotlight moment before Lamar presumably closes out the halftime show on his own.
6. “Not Like Us”
Sweeping the 2025 Grammy Awards with five awards — Best Rap Performance, Best Music Video, Best Rap Song, Record of the Year and Song of the Year — “Not Like Us” has been a smash hit since its May 4 release. It broke streaming and charting records, being the fastest rap song to ever surpass each 100 million stream milestone on Spotify, reaching 700 million in just 112 days. Additionally, its themes of hostility and opposition would weave neatly into the heated clash between the Eagles and the Chiefs just before the game’s restart.
“Not Like Us” is without a doubt the most anticipated song among audiences for Lamar’s performance. Leaving it to be the outro is a perfect way to captivate audiences in suspense during the performance’s first five tracks. The song is braggadocious and energetic, a reminder of Lamar’s musical triumph and exactly the note the rapper would want to end the performance on.
From an explosive opener to a victorious closer with calm melodies in between, a setlist like this one could briefly encapsulate Lamar’s artistic and musical accomplishment. Regardless of exact song selections and order, though, Kendrick Lamar’s show this Sunday at Super Bowl LIX is set to be undeniably memorable, capping off a historical past year for the artist.
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