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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show was built by a large creative and production team, not staged by the performer alone. The credits identify distinct roles for director Hamish Hamilton, creative directors and production designers Dave Free, Bruce Rodgers and Mike Carson, choreographer Charm La’Donna, and music directors Lamar and Tony Russell. Behind the performances and visual storytelling, hundreds of crew members and months of planning turned the field into a stage in minutes.
Who were Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show collaborators?
The credits make clear that the show’s creative jobs were divided rather than bundled under a single “director” label. The Television Academy and Live Design list the following roles:
- Kendrick Lamar: performer, executive producer and music director, according to the Television Academy.
- Dave Free: executive producer and director in the Television Academy credits; Live Design also identifies him as a creative director and production designer. The Associated Press identifies Free as Lamar’s co-founder at pgLang.
- Bruce Rodgers and Mike Carson: creative directors and production designers, according to Live Design.
- Hamish Hamilton: director, credited by Live Design and named in the Television Academy’s directing nomination.
- Charm La’Donna: choreographer, named in the Television Academy’s choreography nomination for “Humble / Not Like Us.”
- Tony Russell: music director alongside Lamar, according to the Television Academy.
- SZA: guest performer. The Associated Press reported her appearance and collaboration with Lamar on GNX; Apple’s show listing names both artists.
The Television Academy’s credits also include Roc Nation, Diversified Production Services, Jesse Collins Entertainment and pgLang among the production organizations.
How the show’s staging told a story
The Associated Press reported that the show opened with dancers spilling out of a Buick GNX and later featured dancers in red, white and blue. Samuel L. Jackson appeared as an Uncle Sam figure, interrupting the action, calling the spectacle “too loud” and urging Lamar to “play the game.” Those are reported moments from the performance; AP interpreted the staging as engaging with identity, power and perception. That interpretation should not be confused with a direct statement of the creators’ intent.
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Mike Carson, whom production coverage identifies as a creative director, production designer and co-designer, said: “Kendrick and Dave Free, his creative director [of the firm pgLang] and our co-designer, were keen on this not being a straight-up concert.” The remark helps explain why the performance was conceived as a staged production with characters and visual motifs, as well as a sequence of songs.
What it took to build the field set
Live Design’s 2025 coverage of All Access reports the scale of the equipment, staging and labor involved. These figures describe the production reported by All Access, not a general specification for Super Bowl halftime shows.
| Production measure | Figure reported by All Access, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Carts | 35 |
| Trucks | 20 |
| Wheels | 314 |
| Staging area | 4,225 ft²+ |
| Scenic vinyl wrap | 10,000 ft²+ |
| RGB and tunable-white LED product | 1,340 feet |
| Field crew | 431 |
| CAD and fabrication hours | 15,408+ |
In a separate production-design report, Live Design describes the performance as 12 minutes long and says nearly 500 stagehands assembled the set on the field in a few minutes after months of planning. The crew count and the stagehand estimate are distinct figures from Live Design’s coverage; they are not interchangeable measures of the same group. The publication also names All Access, Backlit, PixMob, Pyrotecnico and PRG among the production participants, and lighting designers Al Gurdon and Cory FitzGerald.
How to watch or listen to the show again
Apple Music lists Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show as a 13-minute 2025 concert film, rated PG and presented with Spatial Audio; Kendrick Lamar and SZA are listed as artists. Apple’s 13-minute catalog runtime differs from Live Design’s 12-minute description of the performance. The sources use different labels and may count runtime differently, so neither figure should be silently substituted for the other.
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For the music connected to the set, GNX is the relevant album: the Associated Press connected SZA’s appearance to her work with Lamar on the album. Interscope and Amazon list a GNX vinyl LP. It is the album on vinyl, not a physical recording of the halftime performance or an identified show soundtrack; product variants and availability can change.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the awards recognize
The Television Academy’s 2025 record lists four nominations and one Emmy for the show. Among the specific records, Charm La’Donna is named for Outstanding Choreography for “Humble / Not Like Us,” Hamish Hamilton for Outstanding Directing, and Kendrick Lamar and Tony Russell for the Outstanding Music Direction win. These distinctions underscore that choreography, directing and music direction were credited as separate disciplines.
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