Outrage after Jay Z picks Kendrick over Lil Wayne for 2025 Super Bowl halftime show

The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL) in the United States.

It has been the final game of every NFL season since 1966, and one of the most-watched sporting events globally.

Scheduled to take place in February 2025 in New Orleans, Lamar's return to the Super Bowl stage is seen as a significant moment for both the artist and the culture of hip hop.

Kendrick Lamar Although Drake and Kendrick Lamar collaborated multiple times in 2011 and 2012 ("Buried Alive Interlude," "Poetic Justice," "F**kin' Problems"), Lamar distanced himself from the Toronto rapper in 2013. In a guest verse on Big Sean's single "Control," Lamar crowned himself the king of rap and name-dropped several others who can't compete, including Drake.After years of relative peace, Lamar reiterated this position when he was featured on Future and Metro Boomin's "Like That," released on March 22, 2024."Motherfuck the big three, it's just big me," he raps in the song, a clear reference to the 2023 Drake and Cole collab "First Person Shooter" ("Is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me? / We the big three like we started a league").Once "Like That" topped the chart, Cole responded with his own diss track about Lamar, "7 Minute Drill." However, Cole apologized shortly after, and the song was removed from streaming.Drake didn't back down and shot back with a pair of diss tracks, "Push Ups" and "Taylor Made Freestyle." The latter, which has been removed from streaming platforms after a legal threat from Tupac Shakur's estate, sees Drake mocking Lamar for deferring to Taylor Swift's album release and "struggling" with "lyrical gymnastics."In response, Lamar dropped "Euphoria," which labels Drake a "master manipulator and habitual liar, too." Business Insider USA

His previous performance during the Super Bowl LVI halftime show in 2022, which was part of a historic lineup that included Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem, set a high bar, and fans are eager to see how he will elevate this upcoming performance.

Lil Wayne fans disappointed

However, Lil Wayne and Drake fans have expressed a mix of outrage and disappointment following the announcement.

Many fans feel that Lil Wayne, a New Orleans native and one of the most iconic personalities in hip hop, deserved the opportunity to perform on such a high-profile stage, especially given the event's location in his hometown.

Reactions on social media have been vocal, with some fans acknowledging Kendrick's talent but arguing that the NFL and Jay-Z, who is influential in the event's planning through Roc Nation, missed a chance to honour Lil Wayne.

Lil Wayne It's safe to say that 50 Cent was not a fan of Lil Wayne during the early stages of his career.During an interview with Funkmaster Flex in 2007, 50 called Wayne a "whore" due to his high number of guest features.50 released a diss track later that same year called "Part Time Lover" in which he dissed Tunechi and Cash Money Records founder Birdman."It's more than your body baby damn it's your brain / You make me wanna kiss you like Baby kiss Wayne / And make you call me daddy like Baby do Wayne," 50 rapped.Wayne responded by dissing 50 on the track "Louisianimal.""Call me Lil Weezy-ana Carter, I go harder / All about a dollar, fuck two quarters," he rapped. In 2009, 50 called Wayne a "junkie" in an interview, reported Rolling Stone at the time.The pair appear to have called a truce, however. In 2012, after Wayne had a seizure, 50 wished him well.Earlier this year, 50 told Capital Xtra that, having never worked together, he now wants to collaborate with his former foe. Business Insider USA

Lil Wayne's longtime engineer, Fabian Marasciullo, expressed the frustration felt by many Lil Wayne fans

He took to Instagram to express his feelings of confusion and disappointment, stating, "Will never again be in a position or have the GOAT [Lil Wayne] in a position where we are at the mercy of someone else's decision. We will make the decisions"

Jay Z’s involvement

Jay-Z plays a pivotal role in shaping the Super Bowl halftime shows as the NFL's live music entertainment strategist.

The halftime show attracts massive viewership, often exceeding 100 million viewers in the U.S. alone. This provides artists with unparalleled exposure to a global audience.

The huge viewership makes the halftime show an attractive promotional platform for brands.

Companies spend millions on Super Bowl commercials, with 30-second ads costing an average of $7 million in 2023.

Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar at the 2023 Grammys Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar at the 2023 Grammys Pulse Live Kenya

Jay Z’s involvement in the Super Bowl halftime shows began in 2019 when his entertainment company, Roc Nation, entered into a partnership with the NFL aimed at enhancing the league's entertainment offerings and promoting social justice initiatives.

Before the partnership, Jay Z had earlier criticised the NFL's performer selection process in 2017 when he declined an invitation to perform at the Super Bowl.

Jay-Z speaks on Kendrick Lamar's selection

Jay-Z has expressed strong support for Kendrick Lamar's upcoming performance at the Super Bowl LIX halftime show in New Orleans on February 9, 2025.

In a statement, he described Lamar as "truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer," emphasising Lamar's deep love for hip-hop and culture, which informs his artistic vision.

Jay-Z highlighted Lamar's unparalleled ability to define and influence culture globally, stating, "Kendrick's work transcends music, and his impact will be felt for years to come"

Kendrick Lamar headlining the Super Bowl LIX halftime show in New Orleans holds significant cultural and artistic implications, particularly in the context of his ongoing rivalry with Drake and the disappointment expressed by Lil Wayne fans regarding Jay-Z's decision-making.