Lil Wayne is big-time bummed.
The rap superstar had been actively campaigning to headline the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show in his native New Orleans.
But instead, it was announced last Sunday that another hip-hop giant, Kendrick Lamar, would be running the biggest stage in the game on Feb. 9 at the Caesars Superdome.
While this week everyone from Nicki Minaj and Drake to Cash Money Records co-founder Birdman and New Orleans entertainment ambassador Master P has been criticizing the choice of K-Dot — a Compton, California, native who previously appeared at the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show as part of the Dr. Dre-led hip-hop blowout — Wayne himself didn’t break his silence until an Instagram post on Friday morning.
“First of all, I want to say forgive me for the delay. I had to get strength enough to do this without breaking,” said a downcast Wayne, 41, sitting on a couch in front of a framed “Making of Carter 6” poster.
“I must say thank you to every voice, every opinion, all the care, all the love and support out there. Your words turned into arms and held me up when I tried to fall back.”
Then, Tunechi — as the rapper, born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., is also known — shared just how “hurt” he was by the decision made by Jay-Z and his Roc Nation company, which has partnered with the NFL to produce the Super Bowl halftime show since the 2020 co-headlining pairling of Jennifer Lopez and Shakira.
“That hurt. It hurt a lot. You know what I’m talking about — it hurt a whole lot,” said a clearly wounded Wayne. “I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown — and for automatically mentally putting myself in that position like somebody told me that was my position. So I blame myself for that.
“But,” he continued, “I thought that was nothing better than that spot and that stage and that platform in my city, so it hurt. It hurt a whole lot.”
But Wayne’s obvious disappointment was also tempered by his deep appreciation for the love he has received from his fans and fellow rappers — including Cam’ron, Mase and Boosie Badazz.
“But y’all are f–king amazing,” he said. “It made me feel like s–t not getting this opportunity, and when I felt like s–t, you guys reminded me that I ain’t s–t without y’all. And that’s an amazing reality.
“So, like I said, it broke me, and I’m just trying to put me back together,” Wayne added. “But my God, have you all helped me. Thanks to all of my peers, my friends, my family, my homies on the sports television and everybody repping me. I really appreciate that, I really do. I feel like I let all of y’all down by not getting that opportunity, but I’m working on me … So thank you.”
In February, Lil Wayne confessed to coveting the Super Bowl halftime spot in his hometown. “I will not lie to you, I have not got a call,” he said on YG’s “4Hunnid” podcast. “But we all praying, we keeping our fingers crossed. I’m working hard. I’m gonna make sure this next album and everything I do is killer, so I’m gonna make it very hard for them to … I want to just make it hard for them not to highlight the boy.”
In a statement announcing his headline booking at the Super Bowl halftime show, which is presented by Apple Music, Lamar said, “Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date. And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one.”
Jay-Z also released a statement in support of the “Not Like Us” rapper getting the prized gig.
“Kendrick Lamar is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer,” he said. “His deep love for hip-hop and culture informs his artistic vision. He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture globally. Kendrick’s work transcends music, and his impact will be felt for years to come.”