Lil Wayne, a longtime champion and emblem of New Orleans, has released a video sharing his disappointment at being passed over, for Kendrick Lamar, to perform at the city’s 2025 Super Bowl halftime show. “That hurt, it hurt a lot,” Wayne said in an Instagram video. “I thought there was nothing better that spot, on that stage, on that platform. It broke me, but I’m just trying to put myself back together.”
As New Orleans’ host year approaches, Wayne has repeatedly expressed his wish to play the halftime show. “I will not lie to you,” he said in February. “I have not got a call or nothing. We praying. We keeping our fingers crossed. I’m working hard. I’m’a make sure this next album and everything I do is killer.” He said last December, too, that, if he got the gig, he would not bring out any guests. “I earned that moment, so I’m not bringing anyone”—short of Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, or a “New Orleans jazz great,” he said.
Since Lamar’s announcement as halftime headliner, several artists have sympathized with Wayne, including New Orleans greats Birdman and Master P. None was more vocal than Wayne’s onetime protégé Nicki Minaj, who seemingly took aim at Jay-Z because his Roc Nation company oversees Super Bowl entertainment. “Denying a young black man what he rightfully put into this game for no other reason but your ego,” Minaj posted. “Your hatred for BIRDMAN, Drake & Nicki got you punishing Lil Wayne?”
In announcing his selection last week, Jay-Z said, “Kendrick Lamar is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer. 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.”
The game is set to take place at Caesars Stadium on February 9.