Kendrick Lamar Embraces Athleisure for Apple Music’s Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Press Conference
Kendrick Lamar favored a sporty aesthetic for his appearance at Apple Music’s Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show press conference on Thursday in New Orleans. The live spectacle, which takes place on Sunday, will also feature Lamar’s protégé, SZA.
The rapper’s monochromatic look consisted of a baggy black windbreaker, sweatpants and a pair of Asics Gel Kayano 20s. A black beanie and square frames completed his look.
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While Lamar previously co-headlined the Super Bowl halftime show with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Mary J. Blige in 2022, he never pictured performing at the big game when he got his start as a rapper.
“I wasn’t thinking about no Super Bowl,” Lamar said. “We were thinking about the best verse and how we’re going to split five dollars at Church’s Chicken.”
Nonetheless, the Grammy winner said, performing at the halftime show this year means a lot not just to him, but to the culture of hip-hop as a whole.
“For me, [performing at the Super Bowl] means everything because it puts the culture in the forefront where it needs to be and not minimized to just a catchy song or verse,” Lamar explained.
“[Rap] is a true art form, so to represent it on this type of stage is everything that I’ve worked for and everything that I believe in as far as the culture. I live and die by it. I don’t take it for granted at all.”
In honor of his halftime show performance, Lamar teamed up with fashion designer Willy Chavarria to launch a line of limited-edition Super Bowl-themed apparel.
Including hoodies, gym shorts and other athletic staples, the collection is on sale now on Lamar’s website, with select items available on Willy Chavarria and Mitchell & Ness’ sites.
“Kendrick performing is so monumental given his voice on the empowerment of brown and Black people and I love his pure L.A. heart,” Chavarria, a fellow Los Angeles native, said in a WWD interview. “Working with Kendrick is an important cultural moment for the two of us. We both have an unwavering voice when it comes to our people.”
Why Kendrick Lamar x Willy Chavarria’s Super Bowl Collection Is a ‘Cultural Moment’ [PHOTOS]
Launch Gallery: Why Kendrick Lamar x Willy Chavarria's Super Bowl Collection Is a 'Cultural Moment' [PHOTOS]
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