Los Angeles’ Hometown Hero Kendrick Lamar Scouted For 2028 Olympics

Kendrick Lamar could be tapped to participate in the festivities surrounding the upcoming 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

On Thursday (March 20), a report from ESPN revealed Kendrick Lamar could be making a major appearance at the 2028 Summer Olympics during the opening ceremony. Kendrick is expected to play a key role during the ceremony on July 14, where he’s will likely be joining a line-up of super star artists and performers.

According to organizers of the games, the focus is turning the Olympics into a symbol of resilience and rebirth as the recovery efforts continue following the devastating wildfires that swept through earlier this year. Organizing committee chairman Casey Wasserman spoke about the importance of using the Games to inspire a new chapter for Los Angeles.

“The rebirth, the rebuild, maybe reimagining L.A. 2.0 – and the Olympics as a catalyst for all those things – we think is really part of our ethos,” he said. Wasserman, who also represents Kendrick Lamar through his international talent agency, hinted that the rapper’s involvement was all but confirmed.

“He is truly an L.A. icon, so I think it would be a pretty fair bet that Kendrick [Lamar] will be involved in the Olympics in Los Angeles in some way,” he said.

From the Super Bowl to the Olympic Games?

During a recent interview with the AP, Casey Wasserman of the Wasserman Media Group, which represents Kendrick Lamar, said, "it would be a pretty fair bet that Kendrick will be involved in the Olympics in Los Angeles in some way." pic.twitter.com/SPVrlO8a20

— Def Pen (@DefPen) March 20, 2025

Wasserman also expressed optimism for the Games, ensuring that athletes, officials and fans would be welcomed and safe.

“We got very lucky from an Olympics perspective,” he said, emphasizing that the true priority remains helping residents get back to their homes and lives. “What’s important is helping people get back settled.”

Lamar’s anticipated appearance adds a distinct cultural touch to the opening ceremony, following his unforgettable performance at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show. Additionally, the announcement of Kendrick Lamar’s participation in the 2028 Olympics comes after his music played a pivotal role in the 2024 Paris Olympics. His track “Not Like Us” Drake diss track quickly became a viral sensation, not just for its sharp lyrics but for the reactions it sparked. The song gained unexpected attention when footage emerged of U.S. basketball stars, including Steph Curry and LeBron James, discussing their feelings about the track during a pre-game warm-up.

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Curry, famously indifferent to the song’s overplay, jokingly remarked, “It’s not the only song in America,” while LeBron appeared ready to hear something else. Their comments ignited a broader debate about the song’s cultural relevance and whether it had overstayed its welcome. Music producer Jermaine Dupri weighed in, offering a perspective that aligned with the ongoing discussion about the impact of music in today’s industry.

Dupri argued that “Not Like Us” had made an undeniable impact on the culture, a level of influence that few current rappers seem to have reached.

“The reason why it’s no male stars in Hip-Hop anymore that have the impact that LL COOL J has and had, is because the goal in Hip-Hop used to be impact,” Dupri explained.