Lil Wayne Super Bowl Snafu: Did JAY-Z, NFL Or New Orleans Make The Call?

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Jay-Z, the NFL and local officials in New Orleans faced backlash when Lil Wayne wasn’t selected to headline the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show. Kendrick Lamar was booked for the event, which upset fans who believed Lil Wayne deserved to perform in his hometown of New Orleans.


The blame game quickly played out on social media as fans and multiple artists pointed fingers at Jay-Z for not selecting Lil Wayne. Jay-Z’s Roc Nation produces the Super Bowl Halftime Show.

“Denying a young black man what he rightfully put into this game for no other reason but your ego,” Nicki Minaj wrote in a fiery rant directed at Jay-Z. “Your hatred for BIRDMAN, Drake & Nicki got you punishing Lil Wayne?!?!!! LIL WAYNE!!!!!!!!!! THE GOAT?!!!!!!!!!!! Nola what’s good?!!!!!! Eminem stood firm on having 50Cent come out. A white man. S### sad. House N##### TINGZ.”

Birdman added, “These n##### P#### @NICKIMINAJ @Drake @LilTunechi YMCMB. I’ll make these n##### respek us on Gladys. Hatin s### 4real.”

Jay-Z defenders deflected blame by saying the Super Bowl’s host city chose Lamar. Jay Cicero, the president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and a Super Bowl LIX Host Committee member, clarified the selection process in a story published by Andscape on Tuesday (September 10).

“It is the NFL’s decision alone for all entertainment for the Super Bowl,” he said. “We found out about it at the same time everyone else did this past weekend.”

The annual Super Bowl Halftime Show never billed itself as a showcase for artists from the host city, but past events featured a distinctly local flavor. Many New Orleans natives thought a New Orleanian needed to represent the city at such a major event.

“Y’all done threw 11 Super Bowls in New Orleans, man,” New Orleans Hip-Hop legend Juvenile said. “Y’all have yet to put a Hip-Hop artist from New Orleans on the damn Super Bowl … I don’t see how the f### y’all don’t have Lil Wayne doing the halftime show.”

Super Bowl LIX will be held at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on February 9, 2025. Lamar previously performed with Dr. Dre and others at Super Bowl LVI in 2022.