After news broke that Kendrick Lamar had been chosen to headline the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans, there was much debate in hip-hop circles as to why local rapper Lil Wayne had not been chosen instead. Now, Weezy himself has spoken out about the emotional disappointment he has felt since JAY-Z and the NFL made the decision.
“It hurt me a lot,” Wayne said on Instagram Live, blaming himself for “not being mentally prepared” for disappointment and assuming he would be chosen as the Super Bowl halftime performer. “I thought there was nothing better than that place, that stage and that platform in my city. So it hurt me. It hurt me a lot.”
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She went on to thank her fans, peers, friends and family for their support. “It made me feel like shit not having this opportunity. And when I felt like shit, you guys reminded me that I’m nothing without you, and that’s an amazing reality,” she said. “So, like I said, it tore me apart and I’m just trying to put myself back together.”
Following the announcement, there was speculation about whether Wayne and his team's ongoing tensions with JAY-Z, whose company Roc Nation produces the Halftime Show, led to the alleged snub. Leading the charge were Young Money artist Nicki Minaj, Wayne's mentor Birdman, and Cam'ron and Mase.
Others who voiced their support included Wayne's former Cash Money labelmate Juvenile and fellow New Orleans legend Master P. For his part, Wayne previously said he had been “praying” to headline the Super Bowl halftime show in an appearance on YG's show. 4 HUNDRED podcast.
All that said, Kendrick and Wayne have apparently always been on good terms, so there's no reason to rule out a special guest appearance.
For now, Wayne has booked a series of North American dates through mid-November. The tour includes this year's Lil' WeezyAna Fest, headlined by his reunion with Hot Boys. Buy the remaining tickets here.
Wow… Lil Wayne just went on IG Live talking about how hurt he was about not performing at the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
“I was devastated, but I'm trying to get back on my feet. Thank you to my fans, my colleagues and my friends.”
“I'm working on myself, thank you” image.twitter.com/F8uM7QlIyk
— Ahmed/Las Orejas/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) September 13, 2024
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