Lil Wayne Speaks Out After Super Bowl Halftime Snub: 'It Broke Me'
New Orleans, Louisiana, native Lil Wayne was not selected to headline the Super Bowl in February 2025.
After it was announced that Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar would headline the show, many fans and fellow artists expressed frustration that Wayne, a New Orleans native, was overlooked. Now, Lil Wayne himself has shared his thoughts.
In a video posted on social media, Wayne first expressed gratitude for his fans' support but admitted the decision hurt deeply.
"That hurt. It hurt a lot," he said. "I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a let-down, and for just automatically putting myself mentally in that position like somebody told me that was my position." He continued, "I thought there was nothing better than that spot and that stage and that platform in my city. So it hurt a whole lot."
Despite his disappointment, Wayne said his fans have helped him cope. "It made me feel like s**t for not getting this opportunity," he shared. "And when I felt like s**t, y'all reminded me that I ain't s**t without y'all. That's an amazing reality."
Message from @LilTunechi pic.twitter.com/fBOEPbQrda
— Young Money (@youngmoneymerch) September 13, 2024
He also admitted that the snub deeply affected him: "It broke me. And I'm just trying to put me back together." Wayne expressed regret, saying, "I let all of y'all down by not getting that opportunity. But I'm working on me, and I'm working."
The decision to choose Kendrick Lamar over Wayne comes after a public feud between Lamar and Wayne's protégé, Drake, earlier this year. Young Money/Cash Money artists like Nicki Minaj and Birdman have criticized JAY-Z, whose Roc Nation manages the Halftime Show. Others, however, defended Lamar's selection, citing his recent commercial success and concerns over some of Wayne's lackluster performances.
