Lil Wayne says not being chosen for Super Bowl halftime show in New Orleans 'broke me'

"It hurt a lot" not getting to play the big show in his hometown, the rapper said on Instagram. Kendrick Lamar will perform instead.

Not everyone is excited about Kendrick Lamar playing the halftime show at next year's Super Bowl in New Orleans. Hometown rapper Lil Wayne still thinks he should've been chosen instead, and in a video posted to Instagram this week told fans how upset he is by the snub.

The video was published late Thursday night, several days after Lamar's gig had been announced. The rapper born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. started off by explaining that he needed time to process.

"Forgive me for the delay," Wayne said. "I had to get strength enough to do this without breaking. Thank you to every voice, every opinion, all the love and support out there. Your words turned into arms and held me up when I tried to fall back."

<p>Amy Sussman/Getty</p> Lil Wayne

Amy Sussman/Getty

Lil Wayne

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He then got to his feelings about not being chosen: "That hurt a lot. I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown. For just automatically mentally putting myself in that position, like someone told me that was my position."

One source of Wayne's pain is that Super Bowl LIX will take place in the city where he was born, raised, and first made his name as a rapper.

"I thought there was nothing better than that spot, that stage, and that platform in my city," he said. "It broke me. I'm just trying to put me back together. But, my God, how you all have helped me."

In addition to scoring multiple No. 1 albums and iconic hits like "A Milli" over the course of his multidecade career, Lil Wayne has also mentored other famous rappers like Drake and Nicki Minaj, who he signed to his label Young Money Entertainment in the late 2000s before they broke big. Minaj passionately defended Wayne on social media after Lamar's selection was announced.

"You don't know the half of what Lil Wayne has done for me & others," Minaj tweeted Monday. "Wayne had Drake & I on his tour w/no papers signed. He was on all of my mixtapes w/no papers signed. This man has literally changed the FACE of hip hop. The hair too. IYKYK. He inspired so many to tat their faces & get locks. Inspired your faves to wanna be a great MC. He never was in this for the money. It's always been for the love of music."

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Drake has not commented on the halftime decision. Earlier this year, Lamar won their public feud with diss tracks including "Not Like Us," which has become one of the biggest hits of the year. Neither Wayne nor Minaj have explicitly said it as part of their commentary on the Super Bowl decision, but the fact that Lamar has reinvigorated his career by publicly ridiculing their old friend and labelmate might add to the sting.

Related: Lil Wayne says he can't remember his own music due to bad memory

The Super Bowl halftime show is being programmed by Jay-Z's company, Roc Nation, for the sixth year in a row. In a statement accompanying the Lamar announcement, Jay-Z said of his choice, "Kendrick Lamar is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer. His deep love for hip-hop and culture informs his artistic vision. He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture globally. Kendrick's work transcends music, and his impact will be felt for years to come."

A representative for Lil Wayne didn't immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly's request for further comment.

Super Bowl LIX is set to take place Feb. 9, 2025.

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.