Lil Wayne Reacts To The Super Bowl Halftime Show Snub: 'It Hurt A Lot'

Lil Wayne has broken his silence after being turned down for the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show in his hometown of New Orleans. He shared his disappointment, admitting that the snub hurt a lot.

By Sakina Kaukawala

Published on Sep 13, 2024 | 05:57 PM IST | 67.8K

Lil Wayne (via Getty Images)

Lil Wayne has finally spoken out after being passed over for the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show in his hometown of New Orleans. In an Instagram video, the rapper expressed his disappointment that the NFL chose Kendrick Lamar over him for the coveted performance. The news sparked outrage among fans and fellow artists, and Wayne's reaction has been nothing short of emotional.

On Friday, September 13, Lil Wayne used Instagram to address his fans directly. In a calm but solemn tone, the rapper expressed gratitude to his fans, friends, and industry peers.

“First of all, I want to say forgive me for the delay. I had to get strength enough to do this without breaking,” He went on to say, “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.”

His words made it clear that the decision to work with another artist had caused him great pain. Wayne admitted: “That hurt. It hurt a lot. You know what I’m talking about. It hurt a whole lot.”

Despite the heartbreak, he insisted that he could only blame himself for getting his hopes up. “I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown,” he admitted, adding that he had imagined himself on that stage long before the official announcement was made.

Wayne's disappointment stems largely from the fact that the 2025 Super Bowl will be held in his hometown of New Orleans, making the opportunity to perform on such a grand stage even more significant. He talked about how he mentally prepared for the show and how the disappointment hit him harder than he expected.

He said he thought there was nothing better than that location, stage, and platform in his city, so it hurt. "It hurt a lot," he said. He expressed deep frustration and sorrow, but also thanked his supporters for their encouragement during this difficult time. He said his fans are amazing and it made him feel really bad not getting this opportunity, but his fans reminded him that he is nothing without them.

Wayne ended his video by saying he was broken but is now trying to put himself back together with the love and support of his fans. He also thanked his peers for standing up for him after the snub.

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