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Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance at the Super Bowl made quite the splash. In addition to delivering a medley of his greatest hits, including his Grammy-winning single “Not Like Us,” the first solo rap performer used the moment for a subtle political statement. From the first few chords of “Squabble Up” to guest appearances from Serena Williams, Samuel L. Jackson, and SZA, Lamar put on an unforgettable show — but did he do it all for free?
Do Super Bowl Halftime Performers Get Paid?
Not exactly. “The NFL covers all costs associated with the show and the performers are paid union scale,” an NFL spokesperson previously told PS. “This is not an appearance fee but the artists are indeed paid union scale.”
Per NFL policy, the league does not pay performers an appearance fee, but they do pay artists union scale: a minimum payment determined by the actor’s union. This number, dictated by the Screen Actors Guild, averages to about $1,030 per day, according to Newsweek. For dancers, the number is in the range of $788 to $1,030 per day and $607 a day for rehearsals.
As such, the career milestone appears to be enough without additional payment. Recent halftime acts include Usher and Rihanna in 2024 and 2023, respectively, and Eminem, Dr. Dre. Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Mary J. Blige in 2022. Other major names to take the stage include The Weeknd, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Bruce Springsteen.
Who Covers the Super Bowl Halftime Show Costs?
The league does not offer an appearance fee, but it is customary for the NFL to cover expenses for the halftime show within a specified budget. “We do not pay the artists,” an NFL spokesperson told Forbes in 2016. “We cover expenses and production costs.”
Some performers will even invest their own money to make their time on the field as memorable as possible. Billboard reports that in 2021, The Weeknd spent $7 million perfecting his own halftime show.
Chanel Vargas was an associate editor on the Breaking News team at PS. Her areas of expertise include TV, film, music, fashion, beauty, and lifestyle content, with an emphasis on original features. Chanel’s work spans a wide breadth of topics, including celebrity style moments, true-crime documetaries, thrillers, rising TikTok stars, reproductive rights, and more.