Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans is less than a month away, and Kendrick Lamar’s momentum isn’t slowing down heading into his halftime-show performance. His 2024 success was sparked by a long-standing feud with Drake that exploded with a well-publicized back-and-forth rap battle. Lamar’s biggest track in the beef, “Not Like Us,” became a Grammy-nominated hit.
Lamar released his latest album “GNX,” in November. He also announced his “Grand National Tour” with singer-songwriter SZA that starts in April.
With that said, The Athletic is back with an updated prediction of the songs that will and will not be performed by the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper during halftime of the Super Bowl at Caesars Superdome. Past set lists from featured artists have included anywhere from 12 to 15 songs during timed shows that have lasted up to 15 minutes.
‘Not Like Us’
Will the NFL allow Lamar to perform some of his most antagonistic lyrics aimed at Drake? Probably not. Drake sued Universal Music Group (not Lamar) for defamation and harassment for promoting a song with punchlines involving accusations of pedophilia. But Lamar is creative enough to still get one of the most played songs of the back half of 2024 into the show. Will we see the crowd fill in the lyrics for him?
Chance it’s played: 100 percent
‘tv off’
“Walk in New Orleans with the etiquette of L.A., yelling Mustarrrrrd!”
Lamar says that in the song. Seems like an ideal way to walk onto the stage.
Chance it’s played: 100 percent
‘squabble up’
Debbie Deb’s “When I Hear Music” is sampled in the track, and the original beat still hits more than 40 years later. It’s a song you can dance to. Some of Lamar’s critics claim he doesn’t make music that people can move to, but this song goes against that notion.
Chance it’s played: 95 percent
‘luther’
This repackaging of Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn’s version of “If This World Were Mine” features SZA and has become a hit. Given the upcoming tour, SZA figures to be a key part of the halftime show.
Chance it’s played: 90 percent
‘Like That’
This song, featuring Future and Metro Boomin, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lamar’s verse kicked off one of the biggest rap battles ever. The sample of Rodney-O & Joe Cooley’s “Everlasting Bass” helped make this song a hit.
Chance it’s played: 90 percent
‘30 for 30’
This song is on SZA’s album, “Lana,” which is a reissue of her 2022 album, “SOS,” featuring Lamar. What better way to showcase another potential collaboration from the upcoming tour.
Chance it’s played: 80 percent
‘All the Stars’
This is another option if Lamar wants to add SZA to the set.
Chance it’s played: 75 percent
‘Humble’
This could have been the option for Lamar when he performed at Super Bowl LVI, but he went with “Alright” as part of the show that featured Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and 50 Cent. It’s one of Lamar’s most popular songs — and it was used as the theme for the 2017 NBA Finals.
Chance it’s played: 85 percent
‘DNA’
This is one of Lamar’s biggest songs from the “DAMN” album, which some argue is Lamar’s best work.
Chance it’s played: 75 percent
‘Money Trees’
Jay Rock’s verse on this song is one of his best. Given the important role Jay Rock has played in Lamar’s career, it would be a great way to thank him on a large stage.
Chance it’s played: 60 percent
‘Swimming Pools (Drank)’
In a city known for its cocktails, this song might be a great addition. The chorus is catchy, too.
Chance it’s played: 60 percent
‘King Kunta’
“To Pimp a Butterfly” is an album that still gets play from Lamar’s fans. “King Kunta” is one of the more popular songs from that project.
Chance it’s played: 55 percent
‘heart pt. 6’
This song tells the story of the rise of Lamar and his former label, Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), and features a sample of the 1996 SWV song, “Use Your Heart.” SWV’s Lelee Lyons posted on Threads that it would be “a treat” if they performed the song with Lamar at the Super Bowl. Lamar clearly loves classic songs, and this would be a great way to salute 1990s R&B.
Chance it’s played: 50 percent
‘Family Ties’
Lamar joined his cousin, Baby Keem, on this song off Keem’s “The Melodic Blue” album. A perfect opportunity to showcase his family.
Chance it’s played: 50 percent
‘Collard Greens’
This was a hit off ScHoolboy Q’s “Oxymoron” album — and another chance to get TDE on a big stage.
Chance it’s played: 40 percent
‘B—-, Don’t Kill My Vibe’
“I am a sinner, who’s probably going to sin again.”
Lamar may only have to drop this part of the song. It’s popular enough to his fans where they could handle the rest.
Chance it’s played: 40 percent
‘Alright’
Given Lamar performed this during Super Bowl LVI, he’d have to add a new twist to make it fit in New Orleans.
Chance it’s played: 30 percent
‘Euphoria’
This song predicts how Drake was going to respond in their rap battle pretty accurately … but I don’t believe we’re going to get an overdose of Drake-bashing.
Chance it’s played: 30 percent
‘Mona Lisa’
This would be a quick way to gain goodwill in New Orleans, by giving Lil Wayne time on stage for this song on his “Tha Carter V” album, which featured Lamar.
It helps that Wayne reiterated there isn’t any animosity between the two after Lamar mentioned Wayne on “wacced out murals,” the opening track on the “GNX” album (“hard work let Lil Wayne down”). Lamar grew up a Wayne fan, but Wayne once was vocal in his disappointment over not being selected for the Super Bowl halftime show.
Roc Nation, which partners with the NFL, is very secretive about the surprises for the show — so we can’t rule out a Wayne appearance.
Chance it’s played: 15 percent
‘wacced out murals’
Imagine Wayne appearing on stage after the “hard work let Lil Wayne down” lyric? That would be an amazing moment.
Chance it’s played: 10 percent
‘Meet the Grahams’
Nope. Not happening. Lamar will not kill the party vibe with this dark song.
Chance it’s played: 5 percent
‘Bad Blood’
Taylor Swift collaborated with Lamar on this song in 2015. Swift, however, might be in a suite watching her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, play in New Orleans. If that’s the case, there’s no way she could quietly leave to prepare for a performance.
Chance it’s played: 0 percent
‘Poetic Justice’
This song is a collaboration with Drake. Lamar and Drake together? After everything that has happened? Plus, Drake’s scheduled to be in Australia on tour. There’s no way this song is being performed.
Chance it’s played: minus-10,000 percent
(Top photo: Yuki Iwamura / AFP via Getty Images)
