Lil Wayne’s absence is the elephant in the room during Super Bowl halftime — Andscape

One aspect of the Roc Nation-led Super Bowl halftime show editions has included a local angle. When the game was in Miami, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira performed to appeal to the local Latino community. In 2022, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar appeared in Inglewood, California, right in their respective backyards. Usher performed last year in Las Vegas, where he had just wrapped up a residency.

So when it was announced that the 2025 Super Bowl would be played in New Orleans, rapper Lil Wayne was at the top of the shortlist for headliners. With the announcement that it would be another rapper, Lamar, Lil Wayne’s exclusion will be a point of controversy, speculation, and debate for the next five months.

Let’s get this out of the way first: Lil Wayne is a big enough artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show. He’s one of the game’s most prominent artists and can put on a dynamic show. Songs like “Lollipop” and “A Milli” are crossover hits. Add cameos from his former Hot Boys and a closer of “Back That Azz Up,” and you’ve got the makings of a memorable show that appeals to a broader audience and pays homage to the 504 in one fell swoop.

Lil Wayne, for his part, is adamant in his desire to do the show. “I ain’t gonna lie to you, I ain’t got no phone call or nothing,” he told YG on his 4HUNNID podcast in February. “We’re praying. We got our fingers crossed. I’m working hard … I just wanna make it hard for them not to yell at the boy.”

Still, Roc Nation and the NFL chose Lamar, leading many on social media to debate who was more deserving of the spot. Fellow New Orleans legend Master P weighed in on the conversation, leaving a comment on Instagram defending Lil Wayne’s position: “As an ambassador of entertainment for the city of New Orleans, I have to agree with the fans that Lil Wayne should be a part of this celebration as well.”

Much of the confusion has come down to whose decision this ultimately was, as people are placing the blame on a combination of Roc Nation, the NFL, and the city of New Orleans itself. Jay Cicero, president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and a member of the Super Bowl LIX Host Committee, offered some clarity in an email to Andscape: “It is the NFL’s decision alone for all Super Bowl entertainment. We found out about it this past weekend at the same time as everyone else.”

This whole debate is a complicated one, and both sides have an argument. And two things can be true. First, Lil Wayne is one of the biggest rap artists from New Orleans who could carry a show like the Super Bowl. That’s not really up for debate. But the other truth is that Lamar is undeniably a bigger star and the biggest name in rap right now. And while the local angle is a nice connection for Lil Wayne, having an artist who originally hails from the city perform at the Super Bowl has mostly only happened in recent years, and the connection has been tenuous at best, with the Snoop/Dre/Lamar performance being the only one where the artists were in their hometown. That’s not to say that the league doesn’t honor local artists for the Super Bowl halftime show. For example, when Super Bowl LIII was played in Atlanta in 2019, Maroon 5 headlined and Atlanta-born Big Boi of Outkast made a cameo appearance. So the door is still open for local representation, as I can only imagine that will always be the case.

I expect to see a number of New Orleans legends on stage, from Juvenile to Master P. It would be a triumphant moment to see No Limit and Cash Money together, and a continuation of Lamar’s message of unity from his Pop Out concert earlier this year.

Then of course there is the option of a cameo from Lil Wayne himself. Lamar has made no secret of his love and admiration for Lil Wayne. The two have a song together on Lil Wayne’s album, The Driver Vand Lamar has quoted and referenced Lil Wayne in songs throughout his career. The two would create some dynamic moments. The key here lies in Lil Wayne’s friendship/partnership with Lamar’s rival, Drake. Lil Wayne taking the stage with Lamar would be a statement of loyalty to Lamar and another blow for Drake to withstand.

Maybe that plays a role in Lamar’s chess match with Drake. TDE president Punch has already tweeted an opening pitch to Young Money Entertainment president Mack Maine, insinuating that there’s potential for a collaboration, unless it’s just a troll job. An official collaboration would only further Lamar’s stance on Drake. So much of Lamar’s angle on the feud revolves around the premise that Drake has no real friends and that the people closest to him can’t be trusted. “Not Like Us” even has a bar about Drake cheating on Lil Wayne a few years back.

Lamar could now put Lil Wayne in a position where he must either perform with the rival of one of his closest industry friends or turn down a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform at the Super Bowl in his hometown out of loyalty to one man. It’s quite a conundrum for Mr. Carter, who has remained silent, even as rappers Birdman and Nicki Minaj took to Twitter to express their extreme displeasure that Lil Wayne wasn’t asked to perform.

Still, I hope that something can be figured out that will allow Lil Wayne to be on stage in some way. Especially one that honors his legacy and role in New Orleans rap history. Fans who have spent the last day disparaging his efforts to promote Lamar are just as wrong as those who pretend that Lil Wayne can’t put on a great show worthy of a stage break. The truth lies somewhere in the middle, with the greater truth being that Lamar is objectively the hotter act. The show will hold up, and it would only be an even greater spectacle if Lil Wayne found himself performing with other New Orleans legends and a kid from Compton, California with the world at his feet.