How Much Money Will Kendrick Lamar Be Paid To Perform the Super Bowl Halftime Show?

Artist Kendrick Lamar just took home quite a few Grammy awards last week, and he’s not stopping there. Kendrick Lamar is set to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show today at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. And one can’t help but wonder how much money the “Not Like Us” hitmaker will take home from the performance.

How Much Money Will Kendrick Lamar be Paid to Perform at the 2025 Super Bowl?

Surprisingly, not that much. One would think that Kendrick Lamar would be cut a fat check for his upcoming performance at the Super Bowl. However, that’s not usually what happens. In fact, even the biggest stars take home very little in the way of payment for performing at the famed halftime show.

The amount of money entertainers are typically paid for a halftime show performance is a tiny fraction of what they would make from touring, headlining, or performing at a large arena or venue. Though, reps from the NFL have confirmed that the league will cover all costs that are associated with the show, and “does pay the halftime performers’ union scale.”

So, what does that mean? “Union scale” would refer to how much artists who are part of the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists’ contracts are paid at a minimum. For Lamar, that means he’ll likely take home about $1,000, or slightly more. Additional performers like Jon Batiste and Ledisi will also make union scale for their performances of the National Anthem and other songs during the pregame. 

It sort of makes sense why the halftime show pays so little. At least, “little” compared to what Lamar will be making on his upcoming stadium tour with SZA. The Super Bowl Halftime Show is considered an “exposure” gig. Which makes sense, as millions of people watch the game every year around the world.

While all musicians deserve to be paid fairly, artists do get something out of that “exposure”. Following Usher’s performance last year, the singer’s Spotify streams rose a whopping 550%.

What Can Fans Expect From the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show?

It’s going to be a crazy show, most likely. Last year, more than 123 million viewers watched Usher and Alicia Keys’ halftime show. With all the buzz around Kendrick Lamar, his huge Grammy wins, and his long-standing beef with Drake, even more viewers will likely tune in to see what he plans to do. 

The Super Bowl will kick off today at 6:30 pm EST.

Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images

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