SUPER BOWL HALFTIME SHOWS

Lil Wayne Reveals What He Said To Kendrick Lamar About The 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show

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Lil Wayne was devastated when Kendrick Lamar, and therefore not himself, was chosen to perform the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show. It seemed like maybe there was a bit of beef between the two, and now Wayne has addressed it.

Speaking about his general feelings on the situation on The Skip Bayless Show, Wayne said:

“For whatever reason, I believe that it’s over my head, meaning I don’t know why, period. Personally, the person I am, I straight look at it like, ‘You ain’t there, you ain’t there, you gotta get there.’ […] It is what it is. […] I want to get to the point where I’m undeniable. I want them to walk in there and have ten other choices and whoever’s in charge says, ‘No, you have to go with him.’”

Wayne then talked about his interpretation of Lamar’s lyrics about him on GNX‘s “Wacced Out Murals” (“I used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud / Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down”). Wayne also revealed he’s spoken to Lamar about the situation, saying, “He saw how much it meant to me, I think that’s all he means. Obviously, he can’t control that, you know? So he didn’t let me down. It ain’t like he can control it or nothing. And also, I’ve spoken to him and I wished him all the best and told him he better kill it.”

Check out the interview above.

Snoop Dogg And Lil Wayne Responded To Kendrick Lamar’s ‘GNX’ Name-Drops With Starkly Different Statements

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Following his surprise GNX album release, Kendrick Lamar has jokingly been dubbed the true Wicked Witch of the West (sorry Cynthia Erivo) by users online.

Just as the project featured and sampled acts shared public reactions to their musical placements, a few mentioned entertainers issued a response to the body of work. Both Snoop Dogg and Lil Wayne had something to say to Kendrick Lamar after being name-drop on GNX with starkly different statements.

On GNX’s opening track “Wacced Out Murals,” Kendrick Lamar addressed Snoop Dogg and Lil Wayne’s actions during his song-for-song battle with Drake.

For Snoop, it was him reposting Drake’s “Taylor Made Freestyle,” which featured AI-generated verses of Snoop and the late Tupac. Snoop laughed off Kendrick’s bar by showing his allegiance to his West Coast roots, writing (on X): “It was the edibles. West West king.”

Kendrick also seemed to claim that Snoop Dogg didn’t offer him any words of support once he was announced the headliner for the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show.

As for Lil Wayne, Kendrick doesn’t appreciate his recent public rants about not being selected for the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show slot. During Lil Weezyana Fest 2024, he professed that the opportunity was “ripped away” from him in favor of Kendrick.

Well, Lil Wayne wasn’t too happy with being mentioned at all. On his X page, he seemed to show that he’s ready for a lyrical fight of his own. “Man wtf I do,” he wrote. “I just be chillin & dey still kome 4 my head. Let’s not take kindness for weakness. Let this giant sleep. I beg u all. No one really wants destruction. Not even me, but I shall destroy if disturbed.”

Read Kendrick Lamar’s pointed bars below.

Miss my uncle Lil’ Mane, he said that he would kill me if I didn’t make it / Now I’m possessed by a spirit and they can’t take it / Used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud / Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down / Whatever, though, call me crazy, everybody questionable / Turn me to an eskimo, I drew the line and decimals / Snoop posted “Taylor Made,” I prayed it was the edibles / I couldn’t believe it, it was only right for me to let it go / Won the Super Bowl and Nas the only one congratulate me / All these n****s agitated, I’m just glad they showin’ they faces

Listen to “Wacced Out Murals” above.

GNX is out now via pgLang/Interscope. Find more information here.

Lil Wayne Says The Super Bowl Halftime Show Was ‘Ripped Away’ From Him, Ahead Of The Hot Boys Reunion

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Like many hip-hop heads, Lil Wayne felt confident out his bid for the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime show slot to Kendrick Lamar. However, home field advantage didn’t serve the “Bless” rapper any good in this instance. Yesterday (November 2), when he returned to New Orleans for Lil Weezyana Fest 2024 he was sure to air out his grievances.

In between songs, Lil Wayne addressed the matter with a passionate speech (viewable here). “When the first Super Bowl was here I made sure I bought tickets at the beginning of the season,” he said. “I did the same when I moved to Miami, and I was wishing my team made it again. I was able to give my momma that suite. She was able to bring my family and other people from New Orleans, and they had a f*cking ball.”

He continued: “That moment I said to myself, I wanna be on stage for the Super Bowl in front of my mom and I worked my ass off to get that f*cking position. And it was ripped away from me but this motherf*cking moment right here… they can’t take this from me.”

Although Lil Wayne couldn’t celebrate what he imagined was a sure thing at home, he was part of something else worth celebrating. After a failed attempted during Essence Fest 2024, every member of the Hot Boys (Lil Wayne, Juvenile, Turk, and B.G.) finally reunited onstage for the first time in 15 years. The group delivered a nostalgic set (viewable here) of their Southern classics “Get Your Roll On,” “Still Fly,” and more.

Rihanna Doesn’t Understand The ‘Doubt’ Around Kendrick Lamar Headlining The 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show

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The debate over Kendrick Lamar’s selection as the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show headliner has died down. But is is sure to pick back up closer to the performance’s date in February 2025. For now, the “Not Like Us” rapper’s musician friends are in full support of him.

Yesterday (October 24), Rihanna doubled down on her stance at the Fenty x Puma Avanti launch held at BLT Studios in Los Angeles, California. During a chat with Entertainment Tonight’s Kevin Frazier (viewable here), Kendrick’s “Loyalty” collaborator and former Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime performer expanded on her subtle nod when she liked the announcement on Instagram with a full statement.

“GOAT,” she said. “Let’s go. What is there to doubt on that? It’s a diamond on a ring finger, honey; it’s meant to be. It’s Kendrick Lamar.”

While many rap fans felt the slot should’ve gone to Lil Wayne, Rihanna expressed why it was Kendrick’s for the taking.

“Kendrick Lamar is the one that’s supposed to do it right now,” she said. “He’s going to crush it. We should never doubt him. He’s an amazing artist. Top-tier. He had an incredible year. He actually brought so many people together. It’s to be celebrated. That’s what culture is. He deserves it. I can not wait to see it. Kendrick, thank you.”

Rihanna isn’t the only superstar to throw their support behind Kendrick’s upcoming set. Despite the pushback, last month Jay-Z, the show’s curator gave his stamp of approval with a statement.

Jay-Z And The NFL Have Reportedly Extended Their Partnership, So There Are More Jay-Curated Halftime Shows To Come

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Jay-Z has become a major figure in the NFL in recent years, ever since he took the reigns on deciding who performs at the Super Bowl Halftime Shows. The NFL is apparently pleased with how this professional relationship has worked out, as Jay and the league have reportedly agreed to extend their deal. This is according to a new Bloomberg report (as XXL notes).

The the NFL owners meeting in Atlanta on October 15, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said, “It’s been a mutually positive relationship. I’m not sure either one of us really spend much time talking about contracts. Jay is happy. [Roc Nation CEO] Desiree Perez is happy. I’m happy, so we’re all good.”

It’s not currently clear how much the new deal is worth. Per ESPN, though, the original deal was worth $25 million over five years.

Kendrick Lamar is set to headline the 2024 halftime show, and Jay said of that pick, “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.”

Fat Joe recently gave Jay flowers for his work on the halftime shows, saying, “If he wasn’t doing shows, it’d be no hip-hop.”

‘It Broke Me,’ Lil Wayne Says In His Somber Video About Not Being Chosen For The 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show

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Earlier this year, Lil Wayne expressed that he really, really wanted to play the Super Bowl Halftime Show for 2025, considering it would be on his home turf in New Orleans. A few days ago, though, it was revealed that it was Kendrick Lamar who was chosen for the coveted gig.

Days later, Wayne has spoken up, and he’s heartbroken.

Wayne shared a video this morning (September 13). In it, he appears downtrodden as he speaks, saying:

“First of all, I want to say forgive me for the delay. […] I had to get strength enough to do this without breaking.

I’m gonna say thank you to every voice, every opinion, all the care, all the love and the support out there. Your words turned into arms and held me up when I tried to fall back.

That hurt. It hurt a lot. You know what I’m talking about. It hurt a whole lot. 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 I thought that was nothing better than that spot and that stage and that platform in my city, and so it hurt. It hurt a whole lot.

[But] y’all are f*cking amazing. It made me feel like sh*t, not getting this opportunity, and when I felt like sh*t, you guys reminded me that I ain’t sh*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. 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 and I’m working. So, thank you.”

Watch the video here.

Usher Puts His All Into Rehearsing For The Super Bowl Halftime Show In A New Short Film Directed By Jay-Z

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Just nearly a week after Usher killed it at the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show, fans are getting another glimpse into how exactly he pulled off all the surprises.

In a new short film that dropped via the music platform, it provides a look at Usher’s rehearsals and the changes that were made to the setlist and production. Oh, and it was directed by Jay-Z and Hamish Hamilton, as they shot the footage entirely on an iPhone.

“As I put together the songs, like a puzzle piece to represent this type of soulful music, R&B and mixture of this pop that is my own, I think God really blessed me with the right people to help build the artist that I am,” Usher shared in the ten-minute film. “I’m happy that I’m able to share this moment with them.”

“If you put in the work, people will respect what you do,” he added.

Throughout the video, he runs through the routine repeatedly with his backup dancers. Usher also takes some time to do vocal warmups, as he rehearses to pronounce the consonants a little stronger. It is also split with high-quality footage taken up close during the actual show.

Check out Usher’s behind-the-scenes film of his Super Bowl Halftime Show above.

Usher Confirms He Did Ask Justin Bieber About The Super Bowl Halftime Show And Why Bieber Ultimately Said No

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Leading up to Usher’s Super Bowl Halftime Show performance earlier this month, there was a lot of speculation about whether Justin Bieber, who has been associated with Usher since early in his career, would join in on the festivities. Usher’s performance turned out fantastic, but Bieber did not end up taking the field.

Now, Usher has confirmed that he did in fact ask Bieber to take part, and shared his perspective on why he didn’t.

In an interview on The Breakfast Club, Charlamagne Tha God asked Usher why “things didn’t work out” with Bieber, and Usher responded, “You know what? They did work out with Justin. I honor and recognize that my brother… I think that it might have been that fact that he’s just wanting to tell a different story right now, and I understand that. But we did have a brief conversation, and we’re gonna do something else in the future. But no love lost or anything like that.”

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He continued, “I think that it’s a lot of pressure for the Super Bowl, obviously, for me to put together a show, so I reached out to everybody. Justin wasn’t the only person that I actually spoke to about doing the Super Bowl. But the moment was maybe for later. He’s gonna play the Super Bowl, I’ll go ahead and give you that, in the future.”

Justin Bieber Didn’t Join Usher At The Super Bowl Halftime Show, But He Thought It Was Fantastic

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Leading up to this past weekend, there were rumors that Justin Bieber would be at Super Bowl LVIII to join Usher for the halftime show. That turned out to be only half correct: Bieber went to the game, but he was there merely as a spectator and did not get on stage with Usher. As for what actually did happen on the field between halves, though, Bieber thought it was great, as he heaped praise on Usher after the performance.

Sharing a photo from Usher’s performance, Bieber wrote yesterday (February 12), “LOVE YOU MY BROTHER. NOONE CAN SING AND DANCE THE WAY YOU DO. LOVE YOU FROM THE DEPTHS OF MY HEART. BROUGHT THE ‘A’ TO THE WORLD, ONLY YOU BABYYYYYY [kissing emoji].”

According to TMZ, before the game, Usher reached out to Bieber and asked if he’d make a halftime show appearance. A Daily Mail report from October 2023, meanwhile, said, “[Usher] really wants to prove himself worthy of such an honor because he definitely sees that the excitement level for him doing it is not at an all-time high. He has asked some of his friends who are artists to help him out and join him on stage, and he has thrown a few ideas towards Justin.”

Plenty of non-Bieber guests did take the field alongside Usher, though, including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and Lil Jon.

Did Usher Get Paid For The Super Bowl Halftime Show In 2024?

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Nope. Usher didn’t get paid for his stellar Super Bowl Halftime Show performance, no matter how good it was.

Stars who perform the Super Bowl Halftime Show are usually given a budget with which to stage the show so they aren’t coming out of pocket, but they also don’t get a check at the end of the night (or up front) as they would for a normal concert.

So, why do they do it? Because, simply put, it’s an opportunity to get their faces and work in front of the biggest television audience in pop culture today. For instance, going into this show, some fans were actively questioning whether Usher was someone who should be doing the Super Bowl, wondering if he was “big enough” for TV’s biggest moment.

Now, after the performance, not only have those skeptics largely been converted, but many of them will also be checking out Usher’s catalog, or checking for him in the future. To paraphrase Shaq: They weren’t familiar with his game, but they are now.

In the past, stars have seen enormous streaming increases as curious viewers do their research, including Dr. Dre, Rihanna, and even Spongebob Squarepants. So, even if Usher didn’t get paid, it’s still extremely worth it, as those streaming bumps can result in big payouts when those royalty checks roll in. The Super Bowl is one time that getting paid in exposure is worth just as much as a check.

Check out more of our Super Bowl coverage here.