Lil Wayne, who hoped to lead Super Bowl Halftime show in NOLA, says snub ‘broke me’

Lil Wayne, who hoped to lead Super Bowl Halftime show in NOLA, says snub 'broke me'

As a lifelong fan of Lil Wayne, I can’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment that he didn’t get the chance to headline the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime show in his hometown of New Orleans. However, I understand his perspective and I admire his grace in the face of adversity.


Despite being disappointed not to be chosen as the headliner for the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime show in his hometown of New Orleans, Lil Wayne expressed gratitude on Thursday for every voice that has backed him since Kendrick Lamar was announced last weekend as the halftime performer.

In an Instagram Live session on Thursday, the artist behind ‘Sucker for Pain’ and ‘Love Me’ expressed that his words served as supportive pillars when I was about to collapse,” he admitted, acknowledging that he felt remorseful for presuming he would effortlessly land the high-profile job.

The popular hip-hop artist from New Orleans, who had openly expressed his wish to perform at the Super Bowl in his home city, found himself receiving numerous expressions of backing from admirers and peers after being overlooked in favor of Lamar for the February event. Notably, Cash Money magnate Birdman, Nicki Minaj, a labelmate of Wayne, as well as rappers Juvenile, Cam’ron, and Master P all voiced their support following this apparent snub.

In the straightforward video, the 41-year-old admitted, “It really hurt, it hurt tremendously.” Translating this, one could say, “The pain was intense and substantial.” Additionally, the person expressed self-blame, stating, “I took the blame for not mentally preparing myself for disappointment and for unwittingly placing myself in that situation as if someone had instructed me to do so. Therefore, I hold myself accountable for that.

In my eyes, there was no place better than that specific spot, stage, and platform in my city. Losing out on the chance to experience it was a significant blow. Yet, you all have truly amazed me. You made me realize that I’m not exceptional without your presence, and that’s an incredible reality.

The “Faithful” and “What’s Happening” collaborative rapper expressed that the slight left him feeling shattered and he’s merely attempting to mend himself, acknowledging those who have offered support, such as his fellow artists, friends, relatives, sports commentators promoting him, and everyone representing him in general.

He expressed that he regretted not securing the opportunity, making it seem as though he had disappointed everyone. However, he assured them that he was focusing on personal growth and self-improvement. Therefore, he wanted to express his gratitude.

The five-time Grammy award recipient additionally appealed to his 19 million fans for forgiveness regarding the delay in responding to the slight, expressing that he needed to gather sufficient courage to handle it without shattering.

Originally named Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., this rapper, known for hits like “Lollipop” and “A Milli,” first gained fame as a teenage member of the Hot Boys in New Orleans in the late 1990s. With 25 Top 10 chart entries and five Billboard 200 No. 1 albums, he became a significant force in the music industry. Additionally, he played a role in launching the careers of artists such as Drake and Nicki Minaj. His diverse interests extend beyond music into areas like sports management and cannabis businesses. Moreover, he made headlines for meeting with then-President Trump during his 2020 campaign.

In an interview with Taylor Rooks last year, Lil Wayne expressed his feelings about the halftime show as an artist, stating, “That’s an accomplishment! This performance isn’t related to sports. It’s unbelievable! I don’t mind who is playing or where it’s happening. ‘You performed for what?!’ I mean, really? Just performing at that event…that’s an achievement!

On Sunday, it was announced that Lamar will be the headliner for the 2025 Super Bowl show on February 9 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. This marks Lamar’s second time performing at the Super Bowl; his last performance was in 2022 where he shared the stage with Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent and Anderson .Paak at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. This exceptional performance even earned an Emmy award.

As a devoted cinephile, I’d put it this way: “Among all movie genres, none has left a more profound mark than rap music. Rest assured, I’m ready to reaffirm its power and significance on the global stage. The world is about to witness the perfect choice.

Jay-Z, founder of Roc Nation, stated that Kendrick Lamar is a unique artist and performer, who appears only once in a generation. His profound affection for hip-hop and culture significantly shapes his artistic perspective. With an unmatched talent to mold and guide global culture, Kendrick’s artistry transcends music, leaving a lasting impact on generations yet to come.

For six years running, Jay-Z’s entertainment company has been responsible for organizing the popular halftime shows, featuring artists such as Usher, Rihanna, The Weeknd, Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, and Dr. Dre’s hip-hop extravaganza. Moreover, in an effort to improve the NFL’s connection with Black communities following the controversy surrounding Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling protests, this company has been actively advocating for “Lift Every Voice and Sing” to be sung alongside the National Anthem prior to games since 2020.

Born in Compton, Lamar – a 17-time Grammy winner and Pulitzer Prize recipient – has been ruling the hip-hop scene recently with his ongoing feud against Toronto rapper Drake. He skillfully escalated this conflict with the hit summer song “Not Like Us.” Additionally, the productive rapper shared a new track on Instagram today, marking it as his first release since “Not Like Us” concluded his series of four diss tracks aimed at Drake.

As of now, Lamar hasn’t responded to Lil Wayne’s comments, and neither Lamar nor his team at Roc Nation, the NFL, or Apple Music have given comments in response to our inquiries made on Friday by The Times.

Keep in mind that it’s quite frequent for main acts during halftime shows to introduce unexpected artists. So, there’s a possibility that Lil Wayne might make an appearance on the field as well.

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2024-09-13 22:02

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