Grammy-winning rapper and producer Lil Jon will perform at halftime when the Seattle Seahawks host the San Francisco 49ers in Saturday’s NFC Divisional Round playoff game at Lumen Field. The man who helped define the sound of the 2000s brings two decades of hits to Seattle’s first home playoff game with fans in the building since January 2017.
For Seahawks faithful searching for good omens, here’s one: Seattle is 1-0 when Lil Jon performs at halftime. He performed at the Seahawks’ Week 4 game against the Cardinals in Glendale on Sept. 25, which Seattle won 23-20.
Lil Jon: The King of Crunk Returns to the Playoff Stage
Jonathan Smith (better known as Lil Jon) built his reputation as the architect of crunk, the bass-heavy Southern hip-hop subgenre that dominated clubs and radio throughout the early 2000s. His work with Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz produced crossover hits that still pack dance floors two decades later.
The Atlanta native’s resume reads like a greatest-hits compilation of the era’s most infectious party anthems. “Get Low” peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Snap Yo Fingers” cracked the top 10. “Lovers and Friends,” featuring Usher and Ludacris, did the same.
But it was “Yeah!” — his 2004 collaboration with Usher and Ludacris — that cemented his legacy. The track topped charts worldwide and earned Lil Jon a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. He’s accumulated five Grammy nominations, eight Billboard Awards, and an American Music Award over his career.
In 2013, he dropped “Turn Down for What,” an EDM collaboration with DJ Snake that introduced him to a new generation. The track earned eight-time platinum certification from the RIAA and surpassed one billion views on YouTube — numbers that speak to his cross-generational appeal.
Lil Jon joined Usher’s Super Bowl LVIII halftime show in February 2024. In addition to performing, he served as musical director for the 13-minute spectacle at Allegiant Stadium, helping shape the setlist and production for what was then the most-watched Super Bowl broadcast in history.
Seattle native Ayron Jones will perform in the Ticketmaster Tailgate area before the game. The guitarist and singer-songwriter topped Billboard’s rock charts with tracks like “Mercy” and “Blood in the Water.” Also, Art Cruz of Lamb of God will serve as the guest drummer.
The pregame festivities include Blue Friday events across the region, highlighted by a 12 Flag raising at the Space Needle. Early arrivals will find a robot-drawn caricature station and an NFC West Champions throne photo opportunity in the tailgate zone.
Seattle throttled San Francisco 13-3 in their Week 18 meeting at Levi’s Stadium, holding the 49ers to just 173 total yards — the fewest allowed under Kyle Shanahan’s tenure.
