Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar Spark Spark Super Bowl Halftime Show Controversy

Lamar’s performance in February will cap a landmark year in the rapper’s career, which has seen him toe-to-toe with Drake in a warring showdown and top the charts with his diss track ‘Not Like Us’.

However, the announcement sparked both celebration and controversy, largely due to the location of the big game.

Many hip-hop fans had hoped that Louisiana native Lil Wayne would be the chosen headliner — a hope that Lil Wayne said he shared.

“That hurt. It hurt a lot. You know what I’m talking about. It hurt a lot,” he said in a new video shared on Instagram. “I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a disappointment.”

“I broke myself and I’m just trying to put myself back together,” Wayne continued. “I feel like I let you all down by not having this opportunity.”

Here’s a breakdown of the key points of contention and everything you need to know about the Lamar vs. Wayne.

On paper, Lamar’s commercial success makes him a natural choice for the Super Bowl

Even though Lamar hasn’t released an album since 2022, it’s been a banner year for the 17-time Grammy winner.

His winning streak began in March when Lamar was featured on the #1 single “Like That” by Future and Metro Boomin.

The hit song reignited the long-simmering beef between Lamar and Drake, who went on to trade nine diss tracks over the next few months. Lamar’s batch included quartets like “Euphoria” and “Meet the Grahams.” Critics said his Pulitzer Prize-winning lyricism gave him an edge over Drake, who countered with more restrained and generally less popular songs.

Lamar’s deluge culminated with the fan-favorite banger “Not Like Us,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and returned for a second week on the chart. Lamar performed the song five times in a row during a Juneteenth concert, a bold move that was widely described as his victory lap.

Lamar also released a music video for “Not Like Us” on July 4, while Drake has remained silent since the feud hit a cliff.

Lamar has dominated both the charts and the pop culture discourse throughout 2023, in addition to his longtime role as a critic’s darling — precisely the combination of elements the NFL would like to capitalize on.

On the other hand, Wayne is a New Orleans native who has had a significant impact on hip-hop

Wayne hasn’t been as dominant as Lamar in recent years, but his commercial and cultural impact is undeniable.

Wayne has 25 top-10 hits on the Hot 100, including three No. 1 hits: DJ Khaled’s “I’m the One,” Jay Sean’s “Down” and his own “Lollipop,” which was, also diamond certified.

The 41-year-old rapper is often cited as a pivotal figure in hip-hop history, having inspired stars like Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, Quavo, Ty Dolla $ign and more. Lamar himself called Wayne one of the “most influential” artists in the game. Wayne also helped launch Drake’s record-breaking career by signing him to Young Money Entertainment, Wayne’s own Cash Money Records imprint.

When Lamar was announced as the headliner for the 2025 halftime show, Nicki Minaj, another Young Money alum, took to social media to defend Wayne’s influence.

“God forbid if Wayne left this earth right now, the culture would be in mourning,” Minaj wrote on X. “That’s why so many people keep saying let’s give our legends flowers while they’re still around to smell them “.

Echoing the thoughts of many fans, Minaj cited Wayne’s close ties to New Orleans as a key reason for the disappointment.

After all, when the 2022 Super Bowl was played at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, Dr. Dre was tapped to headline the halftime show as a tribute to West Coast hip-hop. Lamar, who hails from Compton, California, was one of several rappers who joined the show.

This sentiment was echoed by fellow rappers like Master P, Cam’ron and Mase.

“As an entertainment ambassador for the city of New Orleans, I have to agree with the fans that @liltunechi #LilWayne should be a part of this celebration too,” Master P wrote on Instagram. “He’s one of the greatest Hip Hop artists alive, still relevant, and he’s originally from New Orleans.”

Both Minaj and Cam’ron also suggested that Jay-Z, who has a partnership with the NFL, intentionally snubbed Wayne — possibly because of his controversial relationship with Cash Money CEO Birdman. The beef dates back to 2009, when Birdman said Wayne was a better emcee than Jay-Z. (That said, Wayne and Birdman have since fallen out, largely due to professional and financial disputes, while Wayne and Jay-Z appear to be at peace.)

“Denying a young black man his due in this game for no other reason than your ego,” Minaj wrote. “Your hate for BIRDMAN, Drake and Nicki made you punish Lil Wayne?!?!!! LIL WAYNE!!!!!!!!!! THE GOAT?!!!!!!!!!!! Nola what’s good? !!!!!”

Some fans also blamed Jay-Z for not choosing Wayne – but he probably didn’t have the last word

Lamar seems to have a solid relationship with the Carters, if not a close one — Lamar was featured on Beyoncé’s tracks “Freedom” and “America Has a Problem,” plus he appeared on her “Renaissance” tour this year past — leading some to describe his Super Bowl selection as biased. In a column for USA Today, Mike Freeman said it was an example of Jay-Z “reshaping the image of the NFL.”

As Business Insider previously reported, Jay-Z has been influencing the halftime performer selection process since partnering with the NFL in 2019. He also gave Lamar a strong vote of confidence in a statement shared by Roc Nation in this week.

“Kendrick Lamar is truly a generational artist and performer,” Jay-Z said. “His deep love of hip-hop and culture informs his artistic vision. It 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.”

Since Lamar has framed her beef with Drake as a fight between a real rapper and a culture eagle (“run to Atlanta when you need a few dollars / No, you are not a colleague, you are a bastard of colonizer”, he raps on “Not Like”. Us”), Jay-Z’s statement could be interpreted as siding with Drake and, by extension, the entire Young Money crew.

However, when choosing a Super Bowl performer, Jay-Z’s vote isn’t the only one that counts.

In 2023 and 2022, the game’s host cities — Las Vegas and Los Angeles, respectively — created a shortlist of artists, who are then proposed to the NFL, according to NPR.

Jay-Z is a member of the NFL board tasked with weighing these options and selecting one. Then, of course, the artist must agree to the offer.

Other prominent voices in the music industry have come to Jay-Z’s defense amid the backlash, including Fat Joe and Fabolous.

“Jay-Z is a big voice,” Fat Joe said in a video shared on Instagram. “But, you know, he’s got to go through the ranks of the NFL, the Roger Goodells, all that kind of stuff, so he can figure out who’s performing at halftime. It’s not just one man’s decision.”

A representative for Jay-Z did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.