Yahoo Lifestyle Kendrick Lamar Says Watching SZA Grow in Her Career Has Been ‘Amazing to See’ Ahead of Super Bowl 2025
"She always had it, and I'm just honored to be next to her talent," the "Not Like Us" rapper said during a press conference on Thursday, Feb. 6
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Kendrick Lamar in February 2025; SZA in November 2018Kendrick Lamar couldn't be prouder of SZA.
On Thursday, Feb. 6, during the press conference for the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX halftime show, the "Money Trees" rapper, 37, gushed about the "Kill Bill" artist, 35, who he will be sharing the stage with on Sunday, Feb. 9, at the Super Bowl halftime show at Caesars Superdome.
When asked if he caught up with SZA ahead of the Super Bowl and their Grand National Tour to celebrate their accomplishments, Lamar said they hadn't gotten the chance to.
"Everything [has] been moving fast like far as production and rehearsals and stuff, so we speak, [but] we haven't really got a chance to settle into the moment," he said.
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Kendrick Lamar in 2025Related: Usher Reveals His Advice for Kendrick Lamar Ahead of His 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show
Added Lamar, "For me personally, watching her, you know, her career and where she's come from, it's amazing to see."
"I get to finally see how certain individuals see me come up in the process because I've seen her, day one, coming in the studio and writing songs, throwing away songs, writing another song, throwing away songs," he said.
Lamar noted that he understood the process she went through, "wanting to be great" and constantly songwriting. "I understood that, and I seen it, so to see it now, magnified it's like, she always had it, man," he added. "She always had it and I'm just honored to be next to her talent.
Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show appearance comes days after the 2025 Grammy Awards — which wound up being another big night for the rapper.
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Lamar took home five Grammys at the awards ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 2, including record of the year and song of the year for "Not Like Us." Upon accepting his Grammy for song of the year, he shouted out the "West Coast artists' that inspired him "to be the emcee I am today."
"This is what it's about, man, because at the end of the day, nothing more powerful than rap music. I don't care what it is. We are the culture that's gonna always stay here and live forever," he continued in his speech.
Lamar concluded: "And tell the young artists, like my man points out, I just hope you respect our fam. I saw a respect the art form, get you where you need to go, salute, I appreciate y'all, I love y'all."
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Kendrick Lamar and SZA in 2016Related: Who Is Performing at the 2025 Super Bowl? All the Stars Taking the Stage on Football’s Biggest Night
SZA and Lamar have previously collaborated on the Oscar-, Grammy- and Golden Globe-nominated song "All the Stars" from the Black Panther soundtrack along with "Gloria" and "Luther" from Lamar's 2024 album GNX.
The 2025 Super Bowl, in which the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs, takes place on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m. ET, airing on Fox.
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