Lil Wayne, a longtime champion and New Orleans icon, has released a video sharing his disappointment at leaving Kendrick Lamar to perform at the city's Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2025. “That hurt, it hurt a lot,” Wayne he said in Instagram videos. “I thought there was nothing better at that point, on that stage, on that platform. It broke me, but I'm just trying to put myself back together.”
As New Orleans' hosting year approached, Wayne has repeatedly expressed his desire to play the Halftime. “I won't lie to you,” he said he said in February. “I haven't gotten a call or anything. We pray. We're keeping our fingers crossed. I work hard. I'm sure this next album and everything I'm doing is killer.” He he said last December that if he got the gig, he wouldn't be bringing guests. “I won right now, so I'm not going to bring anybody” — except Beyoncé, Taylor Swift or a “great New Orleans jazz,” he said.
Since Lamar was announced as the halftime headliner, a number of artists have sympathized with Wayne, including New Orleans greats Birdman and Master P. None were more vocal than Wayne's one-time protégé Nicki Minaj, who seemingly took aim Jay-Z because his company Roc Nation oversees the Super Bowl. entertainment. “Denying a young black man what he rightfully put into this game for no other reason than your ego,” Minaj tweeted. “Your hate for BIRDMAN, Drake and Nicki made you punish Lil Wayne?”
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. It has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture worldwide. Kendrick's work transcends music and his impact will be felt for years to come.”
The match will be played at Caesars Stadium on February 9.
from our partners at https://pitchfork.com/news/lil-wayne-on-not-getting-super-bowl-2025-halftime-show-it-broke-me
