Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar spark controversy at Super Bowl halftime show

Lamar’s performance next February will cap a historic year in the rapper’s career, which saw him take on Drake in a warlike 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 were hoping that Louisiana native Lil Wayne would be the chosen headliner — a hope Lil Wayne said he shared.

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

“It broke me and I’m just trying to get back on my feet,” Wayne continued. “I feel like I let you all down by not giving you this opportunity.”

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

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 featured on Future and Metro Boomin’s No. 1 single “Like That.”

The hit reignited the long-running feud between Lamar and Drake, who went on to exchange nine diss tracks over the next few months. Lamar notably penned scorching tracks 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 in the fan-favorite hit “Not Like Us,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and returned to the top for a second consecutive week. Lamar performed the song five times in a row at 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 reached its peak.

Lamar has dominated both the ratings and pop culture discourse throughout 2023, in addition to his longtime role as a critics’ 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 that reached No. 1: DJ Khaled’s “I’m the One,” Jay Sean’s “Down” and his own “Lollipop,” which also went diamond.

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 has called Wayne one of the most “influential” artists in hip-hop. Wayne also helped launch Drake’s record-breaking career by signing him to Young Money Entertainment, Wayne’s Cash Money Records label.

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

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

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

After all, when the 2022 Super Bowl took place at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Dr. Dre was tapped to lead the halftime show in tribute to West Coast hip-hop. Lamar, a native of Compton, California, was one of several rappers to join the performance.

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

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

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

“Denying a young black man what he rightfully put into this game for no reason other than your ego,” Minaj wrote. “Your hatred for BIRDMAN, Drake, and Nicki made you punish Lil Wayne?!?!!! LIL WAYNE!!!!!!!!!!! THE GOAT?!!!!!!!!!!! Nola what’s up?!!!!!!”

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

Lamar appears to have a strong, if not close, relationship with the Carters. Lamar has guested on Beyoncé’s “Freedom” and “America Has a Problem,” and he also appeared in last year’s “Renaissance” tour film. Some called his Super Bowl selection one-sided at the time. In a column for USA Today, Mike Freeman called it an example of how Jay-Z is “reshaping the image of the NFL.”

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

“Kendrick Lamar is a one-of-a-kind artist and performer,” Jay-Z said. “His deep love for hip-hop and culture fuels his artistic vision. He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture on a global scale. Kendrick’s work transcends music and his impact will be felt for years to come.”

Given that Lamar has framed his conflict with Drake as a battle between a real rapper and a culture vulture (“You run to Atlanta when you need a few bucks / No, you ain’t no colleague, you a motherfuckin’ colonizer,” he raps on “Not Like Us”), Jay-Z’s statement could be interpreted as him siding with Lamar against Drake, and by extension, the entire Young Money crew.

However, when it comes to 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 — have established a shortlist of performers, which they then propose to the NFL, according to NPR.

Jay-Z is on the NFL’s board of directors, tasked with weighing the pros and cons of these options and choosing one. Then, of course, the artist has to accept the offer.

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

“Jay-Z has a strong voice,” Fat Joe said in a video shared on Instagram. “But you know, he has to go through the ranks of the NFL, Roger Goodells, all that, to be able to determine who’s going to be the best player at halftime. It’s not one man’s decision.”

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