Grammy-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans next year, marking a return to hip-hop for the NFL's entertainment event, reports the Associated Press.

KENDRICK LAMAR

SUPER BOWL LIX HALFTIME SHOW

FEBURARY 9TH, 2025 pic.twitter.com/NqmoKPnOcu

— NFR Podcast (@nfr_podcast) September 8, 2024

The NFL, Apple Music, and Roc Nation announced Sunday that Lamar will take center stage at the Caesars Superdome on Feb. 9, 2025. The 37-year-old artist, who has amassed 17 Grammy awards over his career, expressed enthusiasm about showcasing hip-hop on football's biggest night. "Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date," Lamar said. "And I'll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one."

This performance will be a return of sorts for Lamar, who previously appeared as a guest artist during the 2022 halftime show alongside Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J Blige, 50 Cent, and Eminem. Lamar's selection continues the NFL's recent trend of featuring hip-hop artists in the halftime slot.

JAY-Z speaks on Kendrick Lamar performing at the Super Bowl

"Kendrick is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer."

"He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture globally. [His] work transcends music, and his impact will be felt for years to come." pic.twitter.com/u64UAYSde9

— NFR Podcast (@nfr_podcast) September 8, 2024

 Roc Nation founder Jay-Z praised Lamar as a "once-in-a-generation" talent, highlighting the rapper's cultural impact beyond music. "His deep love for hip-hop and culture informs his artistic vision," Jay-Z said. "He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture globally." NFL head of music Seth Dudowsky stated, "Time and time again, Kendrick has proven his unique ability to craft moments that resonate, redefine, and ultimately shake the very foundation of hip-hop."

The creative direction for Lamar's performance will be handled by pgLang, a company he co-founded with longtime collaborator Dave Free. Roc Nation and Emmy-winning producer Jesse Collins will serve as co-executive producers of the show.

"The Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show is a celebration of the music we love and the incredible artists who make it, all on the world's biggest stage," said Oliver Schusser, the vice president of Apple Music and Beats.

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Canva, an Australian graphic design software company, held a summit in LA last week presenting its newest services. As part of the event, the company presented an on-stage rap battle describing Canva product updates. Seen as "cringeworthy," the performance and the decision to include it were widely mocked by commentators.

Canva, founded in 2013, has around 185 million customers. Canva's early investors and employees made $1.6 billion on a share sale last month, valuing the startup at $26 billion, and the company is considering a future public listing.

The company's COO, Cliff Obrecht, stated that the rap was his favorite part of the conference and that it was important to bring more entertainment value to corporate events, as the company aims to be authentic and not take itself too seriously.

The event also introduced several new workplace products, including updates to its Visual Suite with suggested editing, app integration, data autofill, and bulk creation capabilities.

Co-founder Melanie Perkins spoke about brand-building and scaling operations.

Sources: The Guardian, TechCrunch, Business Insider, Gizmodo, abc.net.au, theage.com.au, news.com.au, 9news.com.au

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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American rapper of Jewish descent Michael Berrin, better known by his stage name MC Serch, has published a song in honor of Hanukkah. All it took was a dare from radio personalities Ebro Darden and Peter Rosenberg.

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"I heard that they were talking about Jewish rappers and how none of them had done a Hanukkah song. When they got to my name, Ebro and Peter went in on me, because they know I am a proud Jewish kid from Far Rockaway, so I had to get to work," Berrin said. 

Thus began a several-month-long journey to create Shine Bright. The Smiths' Johnny Marr, Hootie and the Blowfish lead singer Darius Rucker, Sam Harmonix, and DJ Eclipse also participated in the project. 

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Popular names like Rita Ora, Niall Horan, Lewis Capaldi, Lily Allen and Little Mix joined fellow artists and music labels, in addition to industry figures, in signing an open letter titled "#NoSilenceInMusic" on Aug. 1.

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They said "whether it be systemic racism and racial inequality highlighted by continued police brutality in America or anti-Jewish racism promulgated through online attacks, the result is the same: suspicion, hatred, and division. We are at our worst when we attack one another."

The letter also read: "Minorities from all backgrounds and faiths have struggled and suffered. From slavery to the Holocaust, we have painful collective memories. All forms of racism have the same roots – ignorance, lack of education, and scapegoating. We, the British music industry are proudly uniting to amplify our voices, to take responsibility, to speak out and stand together in solidarity. Silence is not an option."

The letter was posted after Wiley, whose real name is Richard Kylea Cowie Jr., went on an anti-Semitic tirade a few weeks ago.

Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram deactivated the accounts belonging to Wiley last week after Jewish groups worldwide conducted a 48-hour boycott of Twitter.

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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