Lil Wayne is candidly revealing his disappointment after being passed over for the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime show in his hometown of New Orleans. The hip-hop legend, who had long dreamed of owning that iconic stage, expressed his frustration in a revealing new Rolling Stone cover story.
The 42-year-old Grammy winner admitted that when Kendrick Lamar was announced as the halftime performer, it “broke” him. “They stole that feeling. I don’t want to do it. It was perfect,” Wayne said, signaling he’s done chasing the Super Bowl spotlight after this snub.
In the interview, Wayne played tracks from his upcoming Tha Carter 6 album, lamenting, “They coulda had some music… But instead they got rappin’. They f—ed up.”
He also detailed the behind-the-scenes hustle he undertook to secure the gig, revealing he attended exclusive events and rubbed elbows with big names like Tom Brady and Michael Rubin—moves he said were all part of the NFL’s unwritten playbook.
“You ain’t never seen me in those types of venues. I ain’t Drake. I ain’t out there smiling like that everywhere. I’m in the stu’, smokin’ and recording,” he shared.
Despite his efforts, the NFL and Apple Music announced Lamar as the headliner last September. Wayne took to social media shortly after to express how deeply the rejection stung. “It hurt a whole lot,” he admitted.
Reflecting on his mindset, he said, “I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown and for automatically mentally putting myself in that position like somebody told me that was my position.”
Wayne also revealed he reached out to Lamar before the big game to wish him well and clear the air. Yet, when the halftime show aired, Wayne chose not to watch, instead spending time playing pool and smoking outside with friends. “Every time I glanced over, there was nothing that made me want to go inside and see what was happening,” he said.
This Super Bowl snub has clearly left a mark on Lil Wayne, who now vows never to perform at the halftime show again. The NFL missed its chance to showcase one of New Orleans’ most iconic artists on arguably the biggest stage in music and sports.
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