The rapper revealed that being overlooked by the NFL for the Super Bowl halftime show was a significant blow.
American heavyweight rapper Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr., better known as Lil Wayne, has finally addressed the buzz surrounding his absence from the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show.
The Super Bowl, the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL), is renowned for its halftime performances, which have become a major cultural event. Past shows have featured stars like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Shakira, Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Eminem.
The upcoming Super Bowl, set for February 9, 2025, will be held in Lil Wayne's hometown of New Orleans for a record-tying 11th time. To the surprise of many, Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar has been chosen as the headliner, leaving fans and celebrities alike stunned and disappointed that Weezy won’t be taking the stage.
On Friday, the 13th, Lil Wayne took to Instagram to finally address the halftime show snub. In a heartfelt video, the hip-hop icon spoke about the missed opportunity, a platform many had anticipated he would headline given his substantial influence and the show's history in his hometown. Lil Wayne said:
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"First of all, I want to say forgive me for the delay. I had to get strength enough to do this without breaking. I’ma say thank you to every voice, every opinion, all the care, love and support out there. Your words turned into arms and held me up when I tried to fall back"
Speaking about how hurt he is about the whole situation, he went on to say:
"That hurt. It hurt a lot, 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. I thought there was nothing better than that spot and that stage and that platform in my city. So it hurt a whole lot."
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The rapper went on to thank his fans and assure them that he is working on himself. He said:
"It made me feel like s--t for not getting this opportunity, 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.
I let all of y'all down by not getting that opportunity. But I'm working on me, and I'm working."
The choice to feature Kendrick Lamar over Lil Wayne comes months after Lamar had a public feud with Lil Wayne's protégé, Drake. Their conflict, highlighted by diss tracks, gave rise to one of the biggest hip-hop hits currently, 'They Not Like Us.' Support for Lil Wayne has come from notable figures like Nicki Minaj, Birdman, and Juvenile, with some even criticising rapper and business mogul JAY-Z, whose company Roc Nation co-produces the Super Bowl halftime show. Despite this backing, some critics have pointed to Lil Wayne's recent performances as a possible reason for his exclusion from the lineup.
