by Usher knows exactly what it takes to dazzle on the Super Bowl Halftime stage. The R&B legend turned Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium into his personal roller rink last year, delivering a performance that had fans singing, skating, and excited. So, when he hit The Jennifer Hudson Show on Tuesday (Feb. 4), it was only right that he delivered some words of wisdom for the next man up: Kendrick Lamar.
Fresh off his recent triumphant outing at the 2025 Grammy Awards, Kendrick will headline the Kansas City Chiefs vs the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on February 9, 2025, and the anticipation is already through the roof. With Usher still riding high from his own moment on that stage, he took a second to reflect on what it really means to perform for the biggest audience of your life.
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“It’s the top of the top, the cream of the crop,” Usher told Hudson during his appearance. “No matter how many stages you’re on, you’re never going to play for a bigger audience.”
Usher said the moment isn’t just about executing a flawless show; it’s about feeling every second of it.
“The one thing that I would say is, savor the moment. You get obsessed in trying to build the best performance, but you don’t realize that it’s really about enjoying it,” he continued. “My encouragement to him is to really be present. I hope that he uses the moment well. There’s a lot to be said for where hip-hop has come from. There’s a lot to be said for that young man and how he’s been an incredible benchmark for what it is to be an artist. I’m hoping that he really maximizes that moment.”
The benchmark was visible to millions of music lovers during the recent Grammy Awards, where Kendrick dominated the ceremony, securing five awards for his track “Not Like Us,” including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video.
For Kendrick, this Super Bowl performance marks another milestone in a career defined by elevation and impact. The Compton native, storyteller, cultural architect, and one of the most important voices of his generation has an opportunity to showcase hip-hop at its highest level on the biggest stage in the world.
And he has support. Joining him on stage will be none other than R&B songstress SZA, who has been setting records of her own with her critically acclaimed album SOS and a global tour that’s solidified her as one of the biggest voices in music right now.
Looking back at what Usher pulled off last year, it’s easy to see why his advice holds weight. His Super Bowl Halftime performance was a masterclass in entertainment. With hits like “Caught Up,” “Love in This Club,” and “Yeah!” he turned the field into an R&B utopia. He even surprised fans with guest appearances from Alicia Keys, will.i.am, Lil Jon, Ludacris, H.E.R., and the Sonic Boom of the South marching band, proving that he understood the importance of creating an experience bigger than just himself.
The numbers don’t lie; his performance raked in 123 million viewers in the U.S. alone, making it the second most-watched halftime show in history. And the impact didn’t stop there. Usher’s latest album, Coming Home, skyrocketed to No. 2 on the Billboard 200, moving 91,000 units in its first week.
Now, the torch is in Kendrick’s hands, and if his track record tells us anything, he won’t just rise to the occasion; he’ll redefine it. With Usher’s words of wisdom in mind, fans can expect nothing less than a historic performance.
