Kendrick Lamar was this year's Super Bowl halftime show performer - but it may come as a surprise that he wasn't paid a penny for the performance.
The rapper, 37, delivered an electrifying halftime performance at Super Bowl LIX — even bringing out Serena Williams as a surprise guest.
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Kendrick took the stage at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, headlining one of the most-watched musical events of the year, with guest performer and longtime collaborator SZA, and even a cameo from Samuel L. Jackson.
And despite pulling out all the stops to make it a memorable show, Kendrick ended up walking away with precisely zero dollars, as he won't receive a paycheck for his Super Bowl halftime show performance.
While it might sound surprising, this is actually the case for all Super Bowl performers.
While they don't get paid a fee for appearing, the NFL instead covers all production costs, including travel and logistics.
A representative for the league confirmed to The Independent that it "covers all costs associated with the show and does pay the halftime performers’ union scale" for Lamar’s crew.
So, if he's not getting paid for putting on a show to millions of viewers, why would Kendrick agree to work for free?
Well, the simple answer is for exposure as plenty of previous performers have seen their halftime show pay dividends, despite not getting a paycheck for the night itself.
With more than 100 million viewers worldwide, the Super Bowl halftime show is the biggest stage an artist can get, often leading to massive surges in music sales, streaming numbers, and brand impact.
Rihanna, who performed at the 2023 Super Bowl, saw her Spotify streams skyrocket by 640 percent, and her Fenty Beauty brand racked up an estimated $88.3 million in media impact value within just 12 hours.
Oh, and she even used the moment to reveal her second pregnancy to the world, too. Iconic.
Similarly, Lady Gaga saw her album and song sales jump by 1000 percent after her 2017 halftime show, and Jennifer Lopez gained 2.3 million new Instagram followers following her 2020 performance with Shakira.
And while the NFL isn't paying the artist, they're still usually footing a hefty bill for the production itself, with reports estimating that Apple Music and the NFL typically spend around $10 million to cover the elaborate sets, special effects, and high-end audio equipment needed for the show.
Despite the massive budget, some artists actually end up putting some of their own money into their shows, too.
The Weeknd reportedly spent $7 million of his own money on his 2021 halftime performance, while Dr. Dre did the same in 2022.