Kendrick Lamar, the Pulitzer Prize winner, will become the first solo rapper to headline Apple Music’s Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show.
The news was made last weekend in a dominating video featuring Lamar in front of a giant American flag. Of course, this isn’t K.Dot’s first appearance on the Halftime Show stage; he also performed alongside Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Snoop Dogg in 2022. For fans, the powers that be made an excellent choice for the February 9 Black History Month concert. However, with the big game being held in New Orleans, the news that Lamar was picked over hometown star Lil Wayne raised some feathers.
“Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date,” Lamar said in a press statement. “And I’ll be there to remind everyone why. They got the correct one.” It’s a confident statement from an artist whose career is only growing. The rapper had a major 2024 with the “Not Like Us” Drake diss takeover, which rocked Drizzy’s career. The Pop-Out performance in Lamar’s hometown of Los Angeles set records and dominated the internet for several weeks. Furthermore, with 17 Grammys and a reputation as a culturally conscious rapper who sold out his The Big Steppers Tour, selecting him for the Super Bowl would seem logical. Nonetheless, Young Money took to social media to allege that Weezy F. Baby was spurned.
READ MORE: Lil Wayne’s Lyrics Notebook Is Up For Sale For $5 Million After A Legal Dispute Is Resolved
Do Hometown Artists Deserve Priority?
A cursory check at the list of Super Bowl Halftime performances reveals that, more often than not, the musician is not from the host city. Sure, Dr. Dre was able to organize a tribute to his career during Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles, but this has not been constant in the past. It is true that Lil Wayne helped place Louisiana Rap on the map, establishing one of the most successful Hip Hop careers to date. His Tha Carter series has been acclaimed as unbreakable classics, selling millions of copies, and his 27 Grammy nominations and five wins are not to be overlooked. However, there did not appear to be the same outcry in 2019, when Maroon 5 performed Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta, leaving local Hip Hop musicians in the dust.
A post shared by Kendrick Lamar (@kendricklamar)
“Kendrick Lamar is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer,” Jay-Z stated. Five years ago, Roc Nation and Hov collaborated with the NFL to expand their social justice initiatives and live experiences. For many, this implies that Jay-Z has been calling the halftime shots. “His great love of hip-hop and culture influences his artistic perspective. He possesses an unequaled ability to define and shape global culture. Kendrick’s work goes beyond music, and his impact will be felt for years to come. Given her birth and upbringing in Los Angeles, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell may agree with this sentiment.
READ MORE: Lil Wayne Goes On ‘Undisputed’ Explains Lakers Game Mistake
Hip Hop enthusiasts flooded social media with reactions to Kendrick Lamar’s announcement. Lil Wayne’s fans quickly defended the artist, accusing Jay-Z and Roc Nation of sabotaging his Nola Halftime show. Then Birdman responded with a message on X. “These n-ggaz” Pussi @NICKIMINAJ @Drake @LilTunechi – YMCMB. I will make these n-ggaz respect us on Gladys.” He responded with, “Hatin sh*t 4real.” He clearly believes Wayne was forced out of the competition by sinister higher-ups, and Nicki Minaj echoed those sentiments in her own extended outburst.
“Denying a young black man what he rightfully put into this game for no other reason but your ego,” the Pink Friday icon said. “Your hatred for BIRDMAN, Drake, and Nicki led you to harm Lil Wayne?!?!!!! LIL WAYNE!!!!!!!! THE GOAT?!!!!!! Nola What’s good?!!!!!! Eminem insisted on having 50 Cent come out.” Minaj emphasized her viewpoint by mentioning Colin Kaepernick, saying, “One ngga took a knee.” The other ngga grabbed the bag. “He’ll get you ‘n*ggers’ in line every time.” She also appeared to criticize Hov or Roc Nation, labeling them “spiteful and evil.” It was a tirade that was widely disseminated.
READ MORE: Drake Backtracks After Teasing Round Two With Kendrick Lamar
While fans praised Weezy for his Rap GOAT title, his contemporaries also expressed their support. Master P is a New Orleans institution, and while he offered Lamar a “salute,” he also requested that Lil Wayne perform at the Halftime Show. “Well deserved, he’s one of the hottest music artists in the world and has one of the biggest songs right now,” Percy Miller said of Kendrick. “As Ambassador of Entertainment in the City of New Orleans I have to agree with the fans that @liltunechi #LilWayne should be a part of this celebration as well.” He went on to say, “He’s one of the finest hip-hop musicians living today, still relevant, and a New Orleans native. Let us not overlook this cultural moment in the South. Life is too short. “We have to give our legends flowers while they are here.” Social media users have discussed Wayne’s current relevance versus his overall status in Hip Hop. The discussions have heated up as Hip Hop heads go toe-to-toe.
P was not the only Louisiana artist to speak up. Boosie Badazz used his caps lock button excessively when expressing his displeasure with Lamar’s choice. He used the hashtag “#idontrespectit” to highlight the fact that the Los Angeles Super Bowl Halftime Show featured well-known local artists. “ALL YALL ACTING LIKE YALL COOL WITH HOW THEY PLAYING IT FOR THE SUPERBOWL SMH THE MOST CULTURAL CITY N THE USA(NEW ORLÉANS)ITS A SMACK N THE FACE TO EVERY HIP HOP LEGEND FROM LOUISIANA @MasterPMiller @BIRDMAN5STAR.” Juvenile also had something to say, accusing NFL executives of abusing the city without including the artists.
“I don’t see how the fck y’all don’t have Lil Wayne doing the halftime show,” the singer of “Back That Azz Up” remarked in a video. “Someone who has a lot of fcking hits, deserves it, and can bring out various musicians from different genres. “Think about it.” Others, including Cam’ron and Hurricane Chris, have emphasized the importance of Wayne’s involvement.
At this point, it’s unknown what Kendrick Lamar and company have planned for what appears to be another watershed event in Hip Hop history. Lamar’s live performances have become artistic and cultural mainstays, with symbolism that has prompted millions to question the historical importance. We saw this unfold for months as every lyric from “Not Like Us” was examined, from podcasts to tweets to TikToks and other mainstream media. When we received the accompanying music video, the arguments heated up even more.
A post shared by Master P (@masterp)
This aspect is presently being discussed as people compare Kendrick’s live performances to what Wayne has to give. The latter is dynamic as he delivers fan favorites to the stage, energizing the audience from start to finish with songs that are ingrained in our thoughts and Hip Hop culture. However, some have suggested that as a headliner in the Halftime Show, it would not have the same effect. While the desire for a Young Money reunion during the next Super Bowl continues, guests at this year’s Essence Festival pointed out that such an event has already occurred.
Essence Fest was held in New Orleans and included a Hot Boys reunion that included Wayne, Birdman, Juvenile, B.G., and Mannie Fresh. It debuted with a bang, but Kendrick Lamar’s supporters argue that Dot would showcase a more mindful, cultural space that is required in today’s society. Fans also surfaced online with claims that Wayne forgets his lines while performing, which some considered as risky.
A post shared by Juvenile (@juviethegreat)
For the most part, Lil Wayne avoids the buzz and bustle of internet pranks. It hasn’t kept his name off hot topics lists, obviously, but during a 2016 interview with ABC News’ Nightline, he made some controversial statements concerning the Black Lives Matter movement. When asked what his thoughts were on the subject, Weezy questioned what it was all about. He said the concept of BLM “just sounds weird,” and became increasingly upset as the inquiry progressed. Even T.I. spoke out against Wayne’s words.
“I’m not sure how you put a name on such — that’s what it was.” “It’s not a name; it’s not whatever, whatever,” Lil Wayne declared. “Someone got shot by a cop for a fcked up reason. I’m a young, Black, wealthy ngga. If it doesn’t convince you that America understands how important Black nggas are now days, I don’t know what will.” He said, “I’m not sure what you mean. Now, don’t come at me like that.” Elsewhere, “I don’t think I got to say it, but this is who you are. You are handled accordingly. I don’t know what they’re talking about. I’m a rich ass ngger. Man, don’t be offended because I’m rich and don’t see any of it.” He then referred to himself as a “gangbanger” while dismissing and distancing himself from the movement.
This alone would not preclude someone from being a Halftime performer. However, with Roc Nation at the helm and a desire to spotlight social justice efforts in the NFL to recover from the league’s continuous claims of racism and lack of BLM support, one can only wonder if comments like these will undermine those efforts. Furthermore, Lil Wayne’s pardon by former President Donald Trump, as well as his suspected support for the 2024 contender, have made him a target. However, simply being a Hip Hop MAGA supporter would not prevent him from being on the Halftime stage. Who knows, maybe Wayne or Young Money may attend in some capacity at next year’s Super Bowl. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen, but Drake is most likely prepping himself for the next “Not Like Us” season, which will be watched by an estimated 20 million people. It’ll be a doozy, regardless of who Kendrick Lamar chooses to share the spotlight with—but the BeyHive is hoping for a performance of “Freedom” alongside Beyoncé.
Radiant TV, offering to elevate your entertainment game! Movies, TV series, exclusive interviews, music, and more—download now on various devices, including iPhones, Androids, smart TVs, Apple TV, Fire Stick, and more.
