Kendrick Lamar had a historic year for the rap genre. His feud with singer-rapper Drake spared a hip-hop battle rap fans have not seen since the early 2010s. On top of breaking numerous records with the battle and his global hit “Not Like Us,” he was announced as the headliner for the Super Bowl LIX halftime show.
The Pulitzer-prize-winning rapper announced his upcoming performance through a YouTube video, where he tells his fans to join him Feb. 9, 2025 in New Orleans. While there is excitement for Lamar, especially after his inclusion in 2022’s Super Bowl LIV, the announcement has sparked discussion on the lack of Southern rap representation in one of the most culturally influential hip-hop locations.
Many Lil Wayne fans, and even the New Orleans-born rapper himself, were disappointed following the headliner announcement. In 2023, Lil Wayne expressed his desire to be the headliner for Super Bowl LIX in an episode of YG’s “4HUNNID” podcast.
In September 2024, Lil Wayne spoke about his disappointment in not being the Super Bowl headliner in an emotional video posted to his Instagram.
“It hurt a whole lot,” Wayne said after apologizing for the delay in comment. “But y’all are f----ing amazing. It made me feel like s---- not getting this opportunity, and when I felt like s----, you guys reminded me that I ain’t s---- without y’all … and that’s an amazing reality.”
Lil Wayne said the news broke him, but he thanked his peers, family and friends for supporting him before the announcement. He later said he felt he let his fans down by “not getting that opportunity.”
New Orleans native and rapper Master P congratulated Lamar on his accomplishment in an Instagram post and urged the rapper to include Lil Wayne in his Super Bowl performance.
“As Ambassador of Entertainment in the City of New Orleans, I have to agree with the fans that (Lil Wayne) should be a part of this celebration as well,” Master P said. “He’s one of the greatest hip-hop artists alive, still relevant, and he’s a New Orleans native. Let’s not miss this cultural moment in the South. Life is too short! We have to give our legends their flowers while they are here.”
Lamar released his sixth studio album “GNX” with no prior announcement Nov. 22. In the announcement, he called out his music industry peers for their lack of congratulations on his announcement as the headliner.
“Won the Super Bowl and Nas the only one congratulate me/All these n—-- agitated, I'm just glad they showin' they faces/Quite frankly, plenty artists, but they outdated/Old-a– flows, tryna convince me that you they favorite,” he rapped on the track “wacced out murals.”
He also commented on the Lil Wayne controversy in the track.
“Used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud/Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down,” he rapped. “Whatever, though, call me crazy, everybody questionable/Turn me to an esk—, I drew the line and decimals/Snoop posted ‘Taylor Made,’ I prayed it was the edibles/I couldn't believe it, it was only right for me to let it go.”
Snoop Dogg, Nas and Lil Wayne quickly responded to Lamar’s verses, with Lil Wayne responding in an X post.
“Man, wtf I do,” Lil Wayne said in the post. “I just be chillin' and they still come for my head. Let’s not take kindness for weakness. Let this giant sleep. I beg you all. No one really wants destruction, not even me but I shall destroy if disturbed. On me. Love.”
Nov. 29, it was rumored that the NFL contacted Lil Wayne to replace Lamar due to ongoing legal tensions with Drake, who has two legal petitions against Universal Music Group.
According to UPROXX, Drake alleged that UMG, which publishes music for Lamar and Drake, launched “a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves with a song, ‘Not Like Us,’ in order to make that song go viral, including by using ‘bots’ and pay-to-play agreements.”
According to AP News, Drake also alleged that UMG and Spotify have a close “long-standing symbiotic” relationship and offered “special licensing rights” to the listening platform.
A representative for UGM spoke with Variety and denied the allegations.
“The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue,” the representative said. “We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”
While there are many rumors surrounding Super Bowl LIX, the pregame performance lineup has been announced with R&B artist Ledisi, Grammy-winner Jon Batiste and Christian artist Lauren Daigle.
Lamar has had a successful yet controversial year, with a Super Bowl performance followed by a co-headline tour with SZA happening in 2025.
