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Kendrick Lamar & Beyoncé Score 2025 Emmy Noms for Their Super Bowl Halftime Takeovers

Published July 18, 2025

From touchdowns to trophies! Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé are heading from the NFL field to the Emmys — and yes, it's giving iconic.

The 2025 Primetime Emmy nominations were just announced, and both music legends landed nods for Outstanding Variety Special (Live) thanks to their show-stopping NFL halftime performances.

🏈 Kendrick Lamar’s Halftime Show? Still Not Like Us

Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX Apple Music halftime show is still living rent-free in our heads — and the Emmy board agrees. His performance earned four nominations, including:

  • Outstanding Variety Special (Live)
  • Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special
  • Outstanding Music Direction
  • Outstanding Choreography (Variety/Reality)

The performance featured a record-breaking 133.5 million viewers, enough pyrotechnics to rival a Marvel movie, and hits from his latest album GNX — including “Not Like Us,” “Peekaboo,” and “Luther” featuring SZA, who joined him on stage.

Also making appearances? Samuel L. Jackson as “Uncle Sam,” Serena Williams doing a surprise cameo, and producer Mustard, who helped craft the sonic heat behind “Not Like Us.”

This isn’t Kendrick’s first halftime flex — he already won an Emmy for the 2022 Super Bowl LVI halftime show alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop, Mary J., Eminem and 50 Cent. So yeah, he’s building a trophy shelf at this point.

🎤 Beyoncé Brings the Heat (and the Horsepower)

Not to be outdone, Beyoncé is also galloping into Emmy season with a nom for her Christmas Day NFL halftime show during the Ravens vs. Texans matchup.

Queen Bey’s cowboy-coded performance featured hits from her Cowboy Carter album, including the viral chart-topper "TEXAS HOLD ’EM" — with backup from the Texas Southern University Ocean of Soul marching band and the Motion of the Ocean dance team. Yee-haw meets Emmy-worthy.

Who Will Take the Emmy?

Both artists are currently on tour — Kendrick and SZA just wrapped their “Grand National Tour,” and Beyoncé is saddling up for her Cowboy Carter stadium tour.

It’s a face-off for the culture: K-Dot vs. Queen Bey, halftime legends, Emmy edition.

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