The blowback from next year’s Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show headliner selection is still breezing through hip-hop. Yesterday (September 8), Kendrick Lamar announced that he would do the honors in 2025. While Jay-Z and Rihanna showed their support, others let their disapproval be heard loud and clear.
Today (September 9), no one’s objection was louder than Nicki Minaj. In a series of post on X (formerly Twitter), Nicki accused Jay-Z of allowing his “hatred” of Drake and Birdman to overshadow what would have been a monumental moment for Lil Wayne given the championship game his heading to New Orleans.
“One n**** took a knee,” she wrote. “The other n**** took the bag. He gon get you “n*****s” in line every f*cking time.”
Nicki’s lines were stark comparisons of Colin Kaepernick and Jay-Z’s reactions to the NFL protest.
Her rant didn’t stop there. “Got everything in the world,” she wrote. “Still spiteful & evil. Disgusting. Be happy Abeg. Go be f*cking happy n****. In rap business. In women business. When you got the politicians & the police, you good tho.”
Then Nick went on to highlight how Eminem handled 50 Cent reportedly being barred from the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show stage. “Denying a young black man what he rightfully put into this game for no other reason but your ego,” she wrote. “Your hatred for BIRDMAN, Drake & Nicki got you punishing Lil Wayne?!?!!! LIL WAYNE!!!!!!!!!! THE GOAT?!!!!!!!!!!! Nola what’s good?!!!!!! Eminem stood firm on having 50 Cent come out. A white man. Shit sad. House N***** TINGZ.”
Birdman quickly added his thoughts, writing: “These n****s p*ssy. Nicki Minaj, Drake, Lil Wayne. YMCMB. Imma make these n****s respek us, on Gladys .”
In several posts Nicki Minaj praised Lil Wayne for all that he’s contributed to the culture, both seen and unseen. She also urged others to give rap legends their flowers while they are still around. Nicki ended with a note to ensure that her words weren’t a slight aimed at Kendrick Lamar, but an intentional show of disrespect aimed at Young Money.
Kendrick Lamar just made another Young Money enemy. The rapper already took out Drake with his historic run of diss tracks. Now, he’s snatched the Super Bowl Halftime Show out from under the New Orleans hometown hero, Lil Wayne. To be clear, Lamar was given the spot, and given his recent run of hits, the booking makes total sense. It’s more the fact that New Orleans fans feel like Wayne should’ve been prioritized given his background. Lil Wayne has stated, point blank, that he wants to lead a Super Bowl Halftime Show in his city.
The statement was made back in February. Lil Wayne went YG’s 4HUNNID podcast to discuss his legacy and his relationship to New Orleans. Naturally, the topic of the Super Bowl came up, given that it will take place in the Big Easy come 2025. Weezy told the host that he hadn’t been contacted about playing at the Halftime Show, but he remained hopeful that he would. “We all praying, we keeping our fingers crossed,” he explained. “I’m working hard.” Lil Wayne said that the desire to headline the Super Bowl was actually motivating him during the recording sessions for his upcoming album.
Lil Wayne Was ‘Praying’ For The Halftime Show Call
“I’m going to make sure this next album and everything I do is killer,” the rapper asserted. His reasoning? If the next album is undeniable, than Roc Nation and the NFL would have no choice but to book him. “I’m going make it very hard for them to [pass me up],” Lil Wayne stated. “I want to just make it hard for them not to highlight the boy.” Unfortunately, Weezy is still working on Tha Carter VI, with no release date set. JAY-Z and the Roc Nation team opted for Kendrick Lamar instead. Lil Wayne hasn’t commended on the perceived snub. His Young Money family, however, has been plenty loud.
Nicki Minaj blasted JAY-Z on Twitter. She didn’t mention names, but the allusions to Colin Kaepernick made it very clear who she was talking about. “One n**ga took a knee,” she wrote. “The other n**ga took the bag.” Birdman, meanwhile, tagged Minaj and Drake in what practically read like a declaration of war against Roc Nation. “These n**gaz P**si @NICKIMINAJ @Drake @LilTunechi YMCMB,” he tweeted out. “I’m make these n**gaz respek us on Gladys.”
Kendrick Lamar has really been at the center of rap controversy in 2024. He was the consensus winner of the Drake battle, and now he’s set to perform at the Superbowl Halftime Show in 2025. It makes a lot of sense, frankly. Lamar is bigger than ever, having just scored the most significant single of his career. That hasn’t stop the rest of the rap community from criticizing his selection, though. Many have come out and stated that Lil Wayne should have been picked, given that his hometown of New Orleans is the location of the next Super Bowl. Big Boy is one of them.
The legendary radio host sat down with TMZ to discuss the controversial snubbing. Big Boy did not mince words when it came to his thoughts on the matter. He felt Lil Wayne should have been chosen to represent New Orleans. Furthermore, he thinks there’s some fishy things going on behind the scenes. He didn’t mention anybody by name, but JAY-Z and Roc Nation were ultimately the ones who made the final decision. “Something was done there,” Big Boy asserted. “I feel like there’s some people, getting back to the Super Bowl, saying, ‘There’s something there. There’s a reason why.’ And I don’t think people are so far off.”
The radio host also told TMZ that dismissed the notion that Lil Wayne is not relevant enough to play the Halftime Show. He pointed to Wayne’s legacy, his catalog, and the fact that he still appears on popular songs today. Furthermore, Wayne would have been able to call upon Young Money proteges like Drake and Nicki Minaj to make special appearances. “You don’t have to dig Wayne up,” Big Boy stated. “You don’t have to say, ‘Hey, remember Lil Wayne? Like, we need to get someone from New Orleans.’” The radio legend proceeded to dub Weezy the definitive New Orleans artist. “He’s that guy,” Big Boy said. “Young Money was that group.”
Big Boy’s sentiments have been shared by other big names like Master P and Cam’ron. The decision to go with Lamar, however, has fueled speculation that JAY-Z is less friendly with the Young Money camp than the public initially thought. By choosing Lamar, JAY-Z has slighted both Lil Wayne and Drake, who will undoubtedly be a focus of Lamar’s Super Bowl performance. It may have been inadvertent, but the fans have seen JAY-Z wield his power to throw digs at other artists. It’s not proven, but it’s definitely not out of the realm of possibility.
“Is there a more important city traditionally in American culinary history, a more vibrant, diverse, and influential? Probably not,” the late Anthony Bourdain once described the city of New Orleans, home of the Saints, jazz music, and the birthplace of Dwayne Michael Carter II, the rapper we’ve grown to love as Lil Wayne. For about three decades, Weezy F. Baby has been an anchor in hip-hop’s 51-year history, an artist with deep roots in his city’s contributions to music as a whole. There isn’t another artist alive who could replicate his creativity, quirkiness, thought, or flow patterns, but many have tried. Even those who attempted to keep up found themselves getting outrapped on their own song or outperformed on their own beat. As he said in a Super Bowl interview in 2002: “I been went platinum, just not off records.” For an artist to be as revered lyrically as he is commercially (Tha Carter III is among a handful of hip-hop albums to ever move one million units in the first week), and with the longevity he has, Wayne’s impact across the world can be felt, even when it’s not always acknowledged.
Hence why Kendrick Lamar’s announcement as the Super Bowl Halftime Show headliner in New Orleans is less shocking than it is disappointing. Wayne has expressed a desire to perform at the Super Bowl throughout the past year, and it only made sense considering how Jay-Z and Roc Nation have not only uplifted hip-hop but emphasized the importance of regional culture, as we’ve seen with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. Wayne is NOLA’s flagship artist, one of the most celebrated musical talents of all time whose reflected his hometown through the damage of Katrina and uplifted its talents through his Lil Weezyana Festival. His absence from the Super Bowl stage is a missed opportunity, but, frankly, it should’ve been expected since Usher took the stage.
For anyone who has expressed their grievances over the situation, we must ask a critical question: what has Lil Wayne done in the past year to warrant a Super Bowl Halftime Show? If we take a glance at each artist who performed during the Halftime Show under Jay-Z’s tutelage, there was a build-up of momentum to that performance. Usher became the star of Las Vegas, thanks to his world-class residency; The Weeknd emerged triumphant post-pandemic. Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre brought hometown pride to Los Angeles in the same year that they celebrated the 30th anniversary of The Chronic while curating an intergenerational performance that included Eminem, 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar.
All of that to say: Lil Wayne simply hasn’t done enough in the past year. According to Brian Zisook, the co-founder of Audiomack, it’s the Super Bowl, Apple Music, and its sponsors who look at eight categories when selecting the Halftime Show performer: availability, superstar status, popularity, global impact, reach, live performance, a catalog of hits to fill 12-15 minutes, and new music on the horizon.
It’s been over two years since Lil Wayne launched a countdown for Tha Carter VI and, as of now, we haven’t received a promising single that indicates that it’s officially on the way. Not to mention, Lil Wayne hasn’t really toured any major stadiums or arenas as of late with the exception of his brief stint with Drake earlier this year. In 2023, he embarked on the Welcome To The Carter Tour, where he played in smaller, more intimate venues. And if we look at sales, the last three projects he was involved in, Trust Fund Babies with Rich The Kid, Tha Fix Before Tha VI, and Welcome 2Collegrove with 2 Chainz all failed to move more than 34,000 in their first week. Let me be clear: first week sales do not mean anything but Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III remains one of five albums to have ever moved one million units in the first week. Wayne’s best work recently has been the features run he’s been on. Simply based on statistics, which presumably is the only aspect that the NFL’s corporate office is interested in, Wayne’s pull in 2024 isn’t as strong as it once was before his issues with Birdman put his career on ice for a few years.
Lil Wayne encompasses most of the qualities that Zisook laid out, just not all of them. His superstar status is undeniable, but is the global appreciation for him on par with his legacy in America? His performances are often subpar. Let’s not forget that this is the same guy who needs a teleprompter while on stage because he’s recorded more music than he’s capable of remembering. And perhaps, there also needs to be some sort of reckoning of who Lil Wayne is and his appeal. The controversies that have riddled the recent years of his career, from his stance on BLM to endorsing Donald Trump in 2020, could have opened a can of worms that would overshadow the prestige of the Halftime show right before one of the most important presidential elections in history that could very well result in the first Woman of Color being elected into the Oval Office. Part of Roc Nation’s partnership with the NFL is to “amplify the league’s social justice efforts.” Plus, do we really think that Wayne will be able to get through a 12-15 minute setlist of his greatest hits without mentioning cunnilingus… on the biggest stage in America? None of this is to downplay why Lil Wayne deserved the spot as a legend and an ambassador of New Orleans but rather, food for thought as to the possible reasons he may have been overlooked in the eyes of the NFL. Wayne’s lack of filter and awareness of his surroundings has been a gift and a curse to his public persona.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 01: Lil Wayne performs at 2024 Roots Picnic at Fairmount Park on June 01, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kayla Oaddams/Getty Images)
On the surface, the optics of Kendrick Lamar headlining the Super Bowl in New Orleans seem just plain petty. However, it makes sense within the criteria of what the NFL expects. Kendrick Lamar made the most out of a few months. “Not Like Us” remains in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and basically held down the third spot on the chart for the majority of the summer. Then, there’s the Pop Out, which, in retrospect, feels like the predecessor to his Super Bowl announcement. Tickets sold out almost immediately; Dot brought out the entirety of Los Angeles and has the most minutes watched of any Amazon Music production on Twitch and Prime platforms. On the heels of a historic beef, Kendrick Lamar emerged triumphant in numbers and content, and this Super Bowl performance is the paper bag of dog sh*t burning on Drake’s porch. There’s no way Drake could stomp it out without stepping in sh*t himself.
“Not Like Us” is ultimately rooted in Patriotism, and there’s nothing more American than football. While it served as a nail-in-the-coffin offering during a heated week-long battle between Drake and Kendrick Lamar that turned into a U.S. vs. Canada debate, it clearly forced everyone within hip-hop (and outside of it) to pick a side. At this point, the internet has run with the theory that Jay-Z’s alleged issues with Drake, Lil Wayne, Birdman, and Nicki Minaj helped Kendrick Lamar make history as the first rapper to headline the Super Bow, but we can’t really be certain if that’s the case. We could unpack the web of connections between these artists for days and likely wouldn’t land on a concrete theory as to why Weezy was snubbed this year. However, the situation, as a whole, could be a predicament for Lil Wayne, whose loyalty to Drake has been in question recently after Wayne wore an XO chain in the music video for Jon Baptiste’s “Uneasy.” Considering that Kendrick Lamar will probably bring out a guest on stage, would he extend an invite to the GOAT? And if so, would Lil Wayne sacrifice his allegiance to Drake for hometown pride? Regardless of the outcome, the Super Bowl already kicked off the type of discourse they would’ve wanted in the first place.
While the announcement that Kendrick Lamar would perform the Super Bowl LIX halftime show in New Orleans was met with general excitement from fans, some fans questioned the pick, believing that local artist Lil Wayne would have been a better selection. So, why wasn’t Lil Wayne chosen to perform at the Super Bowl?
First things first: There’s never been a rule that the Super Bowl halftime performers must be local acts. That’s a recent development from hip-hop fans online after a “wouldn’t it be cool if…” proposition evolved like the monsters from an Alien movie into something far less innocuous.
In the last five years, we’ve had Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, who are most notably not from Miami; The Weekend, who is not from Tampa; and Rihanna, who is not from Arizona. The first show to be performed entirely by locals in pretty much the whole modern history of the Super Bowl Halftime Show was 2022’s combination of Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Kendrick Lamar in Los Angeles, and they were joined by two New Yorkers and a Detroiter.
Of course, coming off an impressive showing by Usher in Las Vegas this past February, it only makes sense fans would want the newly minted “tradition” to return. However understandable it is, though, Roc Nation, the NFL’s music partner, hasn’t ever had an obligation to hometown performers (and when you think about where all the NFL has teams, let’s all just be thankful for that).
Kendrick’s pick also meets pretty much all the criteria Roc Nation would be looking for in a performer. To let Audiomack co-founder and longtime industry insider Brian Zisook tell it, K. Dot’s available, popular, and culturally impactful, with enough hits to fill up the 15-minute performance slot and a penchant for showmanship that will translate well both live and on TV.
Cam’ron and Mase insinuate that “somebody in the selection process” is hating on Lil Wayne and is the reason he wasn’t selected to perform at halftime of the Super Bowl.
Now, as to why Lil Wayne was not selected. While some fans — and even some veteran performers like Cam’ron and Mase — would rather believe in elaborate conspiracies about Roc Nation founder Jay-Z holding a decades-long grudge against Wayne, the truth is probably a lot simpler: Wayne just doesn’t meet the above criteria.
While his popularity is undeniable, it’s equally undeniable that the peak of that popularity is past him; for contrast, Lil Wayne hasn’t had a top-ten-charting single in the past five years (2019’s “Don’t Cry” featuring the late XXXtentacion). And while he’s got more than enough hits to fill the allotted set time, Wayne’s always been a meat-and-potatoes kind of performer; he certainly isn’t going to break out roller skates and costume changes, let alone construct a whole hall of mirrors on the field or hover on a platform above it.
Meanwhile, we aren’t even sure Wayne would be available to perform next February; he could have a tour booked, he could be working on new music, or be involved in one of a thousand other projects. As a hardcore sports fan, he may be planning to take in the show from the stands. Or, on the other hand, perhaps he is available, does have the desire, and actually is part of K. Dot’s plan for the show — although their respective relationships with Drake make this outcome unlikely.
After all, Wayne’s one of Kendrick’s biggest inspirations aside from Kurupt, and it’s not like the Compton native is averse to including guest stars in his sets. It’d probably be far easier for Wayne to appear for a verse of “A Milli” than put together a whole show for a national audience who may not even be all that familiar with his work (try to remember that country music is the most popular genre on the charts this year, so there may not be much demand for a “Bling Bling” performance outside Wayne’s existing audience).
So, while we can’t say for sure why Wayne wasn’t picked to lead the show, we do know that there are plenty of good reasons for Kendrick Lamar’s selection. And, since we can’t completely count out a Wayne appearance, it seems premature to call it a snub. We don’t even know who’s playing the actual game yet, so maybe a little patience is warranted — and could pay off when halftime actually hits.
It was announced yesterday that Kendrick Lamar would be taking the stage for Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, but there are some fans and other celebrities who believe that there’s one star from NOLA that should’ve been the top pick for the NFL’s biggest gig of the year.
Even though K Dot took the stage for Super Bowl LVi alongside rap stars such as Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and 50 Cent, many believe that Weezy should’ve been offered the headlining spot for the biggest sport event of the year.
Culture critic DJ Akademiks argued that Kendrick is without a doubt a great artist, but Super Bowl 61 is supposed to be in Lamar’s hometown and the NFL could’ve waited two years to put him on centerstage. Another New Orleans legend, Master P, saluted Kendrick as an artist, but also questioned who the Hot Boys superstar wasn’t chosen to perform in his hometown.
No one os saying that Kendrick doesn’t deserve to make it on the Suer Bow halftime stage, but many people on social media are echoing the same sentiments. There is still a possibility that Wayne might take the stage with Kendrick, being that they have “Mona Lisa” on “Tha Carter V” together, but it doesn’t seem satisfactory to Wayne fans or NOLA natives.
Do YOU think Wayne should perform at the Super Bowl instead of Kendrick?
Usually this early into the NFL season, diehard football fanatics debate which team will go all the way. Well, this year things are a bit different. Instead of sports fans nearly coming to blows over their favorite franchise, it is the music fans popping off.
Today (September 8), Kendrick Lamar announced that he would perform at the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show. While users online, including Lil Wayne’s longtime engineer Fabian Marasciullo, weren’t a fan of his selection, he did receive one notable co-sign. Over on Instagram, Rihanna showed her support of Kendrick Lamar by liking his reveal post (viewable here).
As the record-breaking headliner for Super Bowl 2023, Rihanna knows a thing or two about the football’s biggest stage. Still, users online are not buckling from their stance.
Many pointed about that the coveted show tapped Usher for Super Bowl 2024’s Halftime Show following his groundbreaking dominance in Las Vegas. Since, Super Bowl 2025 in New Orleans, Lil Wayne should’ve been selected for the slot. Back February, during an appearance on YG and Stevie’s 4HUNNID podcast, Lil Wayne made it crystal clear that he would be down if asked. He also expressed how sentimental the moment would be giving that NOLA is his hometown and where his career started by way of the Hot Boys.
The NFL is officially back. It is next to impossible to predict which franchise will play in the championship game. However, music fans already know what to look forward to for Super Bowl 2025’s Halftime Show in New Orleans.
Today (September 8), Kendrick Lamar announced that he would perform during the highly watched television performance. Initially, users online were excited to read the news. However, other quickly chimed in to express their frustration over hometown hero Lil Wayne being overlooked despite publically entering his bid.
Lil Wayne’s longtime engineer and friend, Fabian Marasciullo took to his Instagram Stories to voiced his displeasure. “Confused,” he wrote. “Disappointed. Angry. But most of all, inspired.”
He went on to seemingly shade Kendrick Lamar, writing: “Will never again be in a position or have the GOAT [Lil Wayne] in a position where we are at the mercy of someone else’s decision. We will make the decisions.”
Instagram
Rumors about Super Bowl 2025’s Halftime Show performers have been floating around online for months. At one point, pop stars Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift were supposedly in talks with the NFL to secure the spot. The public now knows that to be seemingly false.
Although Kendrick Lamar is set to take the stage, maybe he will bring Lil Wayne out. They do have a collaborative track (“Mona Lisa”) together, but given Lil Wayne’s close affiliation with Drake users doubt that would happen due to their heated beef on wax this summer alone.
There’s no doubt that two of the biggest hip-hop artists of this generation and Drake and Lil Wayne. They are powerful forces on their own, but when they come together, it’s always going to be an even more special moment. Unfortunately, at least on the outside looking in, both legends aren’t up to much as a duo. The last time we heard them on a record(s) was back in 2021 on a reissue of Nicki Minaj’s “Seeing Green” and then on Certified Lover Boy. However, with Drizzy fending off tons of outside noise from his contemporaries, it sort of makes sense why things haven’t been the same ol’ same ol’.
But with them developing a partnership/friendship since the late 2000s, true close buds will always find a way to support each other. That’s the case here, as Drake is doing so from afar, according to HipHopDX. A Lil Wayne fan account on social media who goes by liltunechi_classics reposted a clip from 2009 during the heat of the Young Money days. It’s a wholesome video, as Weezy is “introducing” two of his newest signees to an “excited crowd”. The Louisiana native mimicked an audience screaming while Drake was holding the mic.
After listing off his laundry list of nicknames, he then gave the mic to Nicki. All three of them had a hard time keeping a straight face, as Drake was making suggestive and childish noises during her self-introduction. The For All The Dogs creator came across the post and shared it on his IG Story while speaking highly of Lil Wayne. “We were so lucky to have the most supportive boss in the game always gassed us up”. You can be skeptical of where they stand with each other right now, but you cannot deny that they at least have incredible amounts of mutual respect for one another.
What are your thoughts on the love from Drake to Lil Wayne in this throwback repost? Do you think we will eventually see a reuniting of sorts down the line? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Lil Wayne and Drake. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Remember the movie Pleasantville, the 1998 fantasy dramedy with Reese Witherspoon and Tobey Maguire, where the two modern teens get transported into their favorite 1950s black-and-white sitcom, bringing color and chaos into the lives of the characters in the titular small town?
That’s basically the plot of Pharrell‘s latest Doodles video, “Can’t Hold Me Down” with Kyle Ricch, Lil Wayne, and Lil Yachty, only sort of in reverse. Most of the video takes place in the greyscale Dullsville, but the three rappers invade the airwaves via the denizens’ TV sets, blasting them with color and brainwashing them into dancing to Pharrell’s boisterous beat.
“Can’t Hold Me Down” is the second single from Pharrell’s ongoing project with Doodles, the next-gen entertainment company that spun off from the NFT craze a couple of years ago and now looks to, apparently, get into the animation and film businesses with the Dullsville And The Doodleverse movie. The movie will debut at The Toronto International Film Festival featuring the vocal talents of Lil Wayne, Lil Yachty, Coi Leray, and Swae Lee, with a soundtrack produced by Pharrell. The movie was announced in July, with the Coi Leray-led single “Not In The Store” following in August.
You can watch the video for “Can’t Hold Me Down” above.
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(@liltunechi_classics)