Lil’ Wayne Should’ve Been 2025 Super Bowl Half-Time Performer—Some Say

The NFL season officially began Thursday night in Kansas City, as the defending Superbowl Champion Chiefs took on their rival Baltimore Ravens from last year’s NFC championship game.

Although several months away, the NFL has already announced that Kendrick Lamar will be headlining the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show. The annual game played in February, which happens at the end of each season, decides the NFL Champions. This year’s match is set to take place in New Orleans, the hometown of famous rapper Lil Wayne, who was born and raised in the city known for the world’s largest Mardi Gras celebrations and Bourbon Street to tourists who visit the historic place.

Some Lil Wayne fans and celebrity artists argue that Lil Wayne should’ve been the pick for the Super Bowl Halftime Show, especially since it’s his hometown. There was an outcry on X, fka Twitter, shortly after Lamar’s announcement, with one X user stating: “Lil Wayne is the only one worthy of performing at the New Orleans Superbowl f**k yall talking about.”

Meanwhile, podcaster and internet personality DJ Akademiks said in a post, “The Super Bowl in New Orleans and they let Lamar perform over Lil Wayne…. Jay Z is a legendary hater for that.” Master P, a fellow New Orleans rapper, said in a recent Instagram post that although Lamar “well deserved” the role, he believes Lil Wayne should be a part of the “celebration” too because “he’s one of the greatest [hip hop artists alive, still relevant and he’s a New Orleans native.” 

Rapper Cam’ron also praised Lamar during his podcast episode but went on to criticize the selection, saying “It’s in New Orleans, and you don’t get Lil Wayne…there’s no reason why Lil Wayne should not be performing at the Super Bowl.” Jay-Z, who is co-producing the halftime show, has been called out by Nicki Minaj and others, blaming rap feuds for the supposed snub.

Kendrick Lamar and Drake have been involved in an ongoing rap feud since 2010. Their beef reignited earlier this year, resulting in them slinging diss records at each other, such as Lamar’s anthem of the summer, Not Like Us. Forbes reported that Jay-Z was named the co-producer of the Super Bowl halftime show in 2019 after he partnered with the NFL to advise the league on entertainment and music.

This partnership gives the New York rapper and Roc Nation the creative freedom to help pick the entertainers who will perform in televised NFL promotional spots throughout the season, which includes the Super Bowl. This deal came after several artists like Rihanna—who eventually performed in 2023—turned down the halftime show to support former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who began taking a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality in 2016.

Although Jay-Z said in 2019 he had some misgivings about partnering with the NFL while Kaepernick went unsigned, he said his partnership would help the league build on its social justice initiatives, according to The Washington Post.