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It broke me’- Lil Wayne finally speaks on Super Bowl performance snub
American rap icon Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr., better known as Lil Wayne, has finally broken his silence regarding his absence from the highly anticipated 2025 Super Bowl halftime show.
The rapper, who hails from New Orleans, admitted that being overlooked for the performance was a significant disappointment.
The Super Bowl halftime show is one of the biggest cultural stages in the world, having featured stars like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Beyoncé, Shakira, Rihanna, and Eminem in past years.
With the upcoming Super Bowl set for February 9, 2025, in New Orleans for the 11th time, many fans had expected Lil Wayne to headline the show in his hometown.
However, the NFL chose Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar as the main performer, sparking surprise and disappointment among fans and celebrities alike.
On Friday the 13th, Lil Wayne took to Instagram to address the situation in a heartfelt video. He expressed his feelings about the missed opportunity, acknowledging the significance of the Super Bowl stage, especially in his hometown.
Fans had long anticipated seeing Lil Wayne take on the prestigious platform, given his massive influence in hip-hop and the city’s deep connection to the NFL.
Lil Wayne said: “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.”
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.”
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The decision to feature Kendrick Lamar over Lil Wayne for the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show has sparked widespread discussion, particularly following Lamar’s public feud with Lil Wayne’s protégé, Drake.
Their conflict, marked by diss tracks, culminated in the hit song “They Not Like Us,” which remains one of the biggest hip-hop anthems today.
This backdrop of rivalry has intensified the debate, with many fans questioning why Lil Wayne was passed over for the prestigious performance in his hometown.
Support for Lil Wayne has poured in from key figures in the industry, including Nicki Minaj, Birdman, and Juvenile.
Some have even directed criticism toward rapper and business mogul JAY-Z, whose company Roc Nation co-produces the Super Bowl halftime show, suggesting that there may be underlying politics at play.
Despite this outcry, some critics have pointed to Lil Wayne’s recent performances as a possible factor for his exclusion from the lineup, speculating that his live shows may not have met the high-energy expectations required for such a grand stage.
This decision has left many of Lil Wayne’s supporters disappointed, as they believe his cultural and musical contributions, particularly in New Orleans, would have made him an ideal headliner for the event.