A globally watched event, fans are currently gearing up for Super Bowl 60, which is taking place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on February 8. Alongside the tense action that will unfold, the delicious food that fans will devour, and the bets that will be placed after assessing DraftKings Super Bowl odds, millions of fans can’t wait to watch the halftime show. After all, it’s the biggest performance ever for many artists, while everything from the choreography to the set is mightily impressive. For hip-hop fans, many top lyricists have shone on this exact stage.
Bad Bunny is performing this year
Even this year, rapper Bad Bunny will be hogging the halftime limelight. Bringing his distinctive style to global audiences, it’s a performance many rap lovers will be tuning in for. However, while Bad Bunny is responsible for bringing the Spanish language to mass audiences, given his unique sound, it’ll be tough for the 31-year-old to rival some previous performances we’ve seen from some rap royalty. Still, given his global reach, millions of people will be looking forward to Bad Bunny’s appearance at the Super Bowl.
However, while the “King of Latin Trap” still deserves his time in the spotlight, it’s fair to say there has been some more highly anticipated performances in the past from some of hip-hop’s finest. Below we take a brief look at just some of them.
Kendrick Lamar nailed it
Bad Bunny will certainly do well to outshine Kendrick Lamar this time around. In 2025, the Compton-born rapper was responsible for the most-watched halftime show ever when assessing the various solo performances that we’ve witnessed at the same event throughout its rich history. The choreography was on point, Kendrick’s tracks went down a treat, and it was a spectacular show that went viral online. If Bad Bunny can bring the same type of energy as Kendrick Lamar did, then it’ll be a performance to remember.
Super Bowl LVI was iconic
In 2022, seeing the likes of Dre, Snoop and Kendrick perform at Super Bowl LVI was special. A show football fans and rap lovers alike will never forget, it’s deemed the pinnacle of halftime performances by many people, and rightly so, too. Seeing some true legends in the game team up for the biggest sporting event around was magical. Also featuring the likes of Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and 50 Cent, it was a powerful performance in more ways than one, particularly as West Coast and East Coast united. Not only was it great to see, but it also sounded perfect.
Beyoncé did well in 2013
While Beyoncé isn’t a hip hop artist, some of her tracks contain elements associated with the genre. As such, when Jay-Z’s partner took to the stage in 2013 while emerging from a cloud of smoke, it was extremely special. A performance that also saw Destiny’s Child reunite, with the likes of Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams appearing for tracks like “Independent Women”, Beyoncé is an urban artist who absolutely killed it.
Who could be next?
With hip-hop now beginning to influence Super Bowl events, we could see even more big names appear in future halftime shows. From Drake to Lil Wayne, and Travis Scott to Nas, we might see even more lyricists take to the Super Bowl stage in the future.