Did Jay-Z Block Lil Wayne From Headlining the Super Bowl? Fans Think So
Lil Wayne has made it clear—he’s dreamed of headlining the Super Bowl halftime show, especially in his hometown of New Orleans. But instead of Weezy, the NFL picked Kendrick Lamar, who used the moment to take shots at Drake with Not Like Us. Now, fans are wondering if Jay-Z, who helps curate the halftime show, played a role in keeping Wayne off the stage.
Wayne’s frustration isn’t just about being passed over. Some think this is part of a bigger issue—an old feud involving Jay-Z and certain decision-makers behind the Super Bowl lineup. Reports even claim Wayne’s team received a legal notice for “tortious interference” after a meeting related to the event, adding fuel to the rumors that something deeper was at play.
After Kendrick’s set, social media lit up with fans saying Wayne should have been the one performing. One person tweeted, “Lil Wayne not performing at the Super Bowl was a crime.” Another added, “Wayne’s energy, breath control, and stage presence were Super Bowl-worthy. Y’all really dropped the ball on this one.”
The debate only grew louder after Wayne’s recent performance at Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special. Teaming up with The Roots, he tore through classics like Lollipop, 6’7″, and A Milli, reminding everyone why he’s one of the greatest to ever do it. And just like that, the Super Bowl discussion reignited—did the NFL get it wrong?
Shockingly, an NFL insider admitted to The U.S. Sun that they regret the decision, saying Wayne should have been the first pick. “A mistake was made. Lil Wayne was the obvious choice, and we regret not pushing for him as much as we should have.”
So, was this just a bad call by the NFL, or was Wayne deliberately left out? And if so, did Jay-Z have something to do with it? Let’s break it down.
Did Jay-Z Block Lil Wayne from the Super Bowl Halftime Show? The Industry Is Buzzing!
Rumors are flying that Lil Wayne was shut out of the Super Bowl halftime show—and some are pointing fingers at Jay-Z. Word on the street is that Jay pushed the NFL to go with Kendrick Lamar instead, keeping Wayne off the stage entirely. And according to people close to Wayne, he believes Jay still hasn’t let go of their past beef.
This wouldn’t be the first time Jay-Z has been accused of pulling strings behind the scenes. Remember when 50 Cent claimed Jay tried to keep him out of the 2022 Super Bowl show? It wasn’t until Eminem threatened to pull out that 50 got the green light. Even then, he was left out of the official Super Bowl promo. As 50 put it, “Jay-Z and them were putting it together. I think they still harbor some energy towards me.”
Now, with Wayne left off this year’s lineup, Nicki Minaj didn’t hold back. She took to X and posted:
“Denying a young Black man what he rightfully put into this game, for no other reason but your ego. Your hatred for Birdman, Drake, and me got you punishing Lil Wayne. Lil Wayne, the GOAT. NOLA was good. Eminem stood firm on having 50 Cent come out. A white man. It’s sad.”
She wasn’t the only one speaking up. Mase and Cam’ron also chimed in on their podcast, suggesting Jay-Z intentionally snubbed Wayne and used Kendrick as a way to settle old scores with Birdman and Drake.
“I love Kendrick Lamar. He’s one of the best of this generation. But how do you have a Super Bowl in New Orleans and NOT include Lil Wayne? We’re talking Hot Boys, Cash Money, all his hits—even his rock collabs with Blink-182! There’s only one reason this happened, and we all know who’s behind it.”
They even hinted that Wayne’s close ties to Drake—who’s had his own issues with Jay-Z—might’ve played a role.
“At this age, the level of pettiness is crazy,” they said. “It’s got to stop.”
Kendrick Lamar is obviously a superstar and a worthy choice, but the whispers of industry politics and personal grudges won’t go away.
So, what do you think? Was Lil Wayne unfairly blocked from the Super Bowl halftime show, or is this just how the game works?
Beyoncé bringing Lil Wayne onto Destiny’s Child’s Soldier didn’t exactly sit right with Jay-Z. Then, to make things even more interesting, Wayne dropped Tha Carter II that same year, featuring a track called Best Rapper Alive. At the time, Jay had already announced his retirement, but he wasn’t about to let that slide. Not long after, he made his comeback with Kingdom Come, where he basically crowned himself hip-hop’s savior on the title track.
Wayne? He wasn’t feeling it. In a 2006 interview with Complex, he didn’t hold back:
“I’m better than him. I’m 24 years old, 13 years deep, with five albums and 10 million records sold. I don’t like how he’s talking about needing to come back because hip-hop is ‘dead.’ What the f*** do you mean? If anything, hip-hop is reborn, and maybe that’s his real problem. He left when everyone called it ‘Jay’s house,’ but now he’s back acting like it still belongs to him. It doesn’t. And I’m better than him.”
Wayne later doubled down, claiming Jay was just salty because Def Jam had the chance to sign him—and passed. He told HOT 97:
“They could’ve picked me first—Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam had the chance. They didn’t. Now, I’m with a great team and a great coach. And of course, I’m going to take shots at the team that overlooked me.”
At first, Jay stayed quiet. But when Watch What You Say from T.I.’s T.I. vs. T.I.P. leaked in 2007, fans were convinced Jay was sending a message straight to Wayne:
“I hear you baiting me lately
I’ve been doing my best just to stay hater-free
Still, watch what you say to me
Sooner or later, I’ll take you up on your offering
Put you all in your place like I’m replacing your father
You’re talking to the author, the architect of the blueprint
My DNA is in your music, m**
Watch what you say to me.”
By 2007–2009, it seemed like they had put things to rest, but the tension never fully disappeared. Even when Jay gave Wayne props in interviews, it always felt a little backhanded. Like in 2008, when he told Vibe:
“He came to me as a fan first. But once he got close enough, he thought, ‘Maybe I can take his head off,’ which is natural. I think he really respects what I’ve done, but as a competitor, that’s what happens. There was a time when Kobe thought, ‘I can take Mike.’ I respect that. The public sees Wayne as next in line, and it would be foolish for me to say he’s not.”
They never took it to full-on war, but the rivalry between Jay-Z and Lil Wayne remains one of hip-hop’s most fascinating cold wars.
Just when it seemed like the drama had died down, Birdman stirred the pot again in a 2009 interview with Tropical TV, boldly saying:
“I don’t think Jay-Z is the number one MC in any way. Wayne’s the best. He does the most, and he makes the most money. Nobody in the business makes more money than us. How can you be the best if you don’t make the most money and don’t go the hardest lyrically? Come on, man. Be for real. Can’t nobody f* with Wayne. If you’re number one but broke, what does that even mean?”**
Of course, Jay-Z wasn’t about to let that slide. He clapped back on H.A.M., the first track leaked from Watch the Throne, his joint album with Kanye West. Taking direct aim at Birdman, Jay rapped:
“Really? Half a billy? Really?
You got baby money.
Keep it real with them—
They ain’t got my lady money.”
Birdman fired back on social media, writing: “We’re gonna keep spending baby money. Billionaire mindset. Stay tuned.” He also later accused Jay and Kanye of stealing the Watch the Throne concept from Wayne and Drake.
“His older verse is younger,” Birdman said in another interview. “I listened to a few songs, and it feels outdated. Drake and Wayne? They’re young—23 and 28. Jay-Z and them? They’re older and on their way out. Wayne and Drake are still shaping the game.”
Wayne didn’t hold back either. At a Young Money Cash Money pre-Grammys party, he took a direct shot at Watch the Throne in a freestyle:
“I met a bad redbone, I took the b* home
I asked her what she wanna watch,
She said, ‘Surely not The Throne.'”**
Despite all the back-and-forth, the tension between Jay and Wayne never turned into a full-blown beef, and they’ve kept a respectful distance ever since.
But fast-forward to the Super Bowl, and suddenly, old wounds seem to be reopening. Insiders close to Weezy claim he believes Jay-Z played a role in Kendrick Lamar headlining the halftime show—seeing it as a low-key dig at him and his camp, especially since Kendrick took shots at Drake mid-performance.
Some fans, however, think this theory is a bit of a stretch. At the end of the day, Jay-Z is about business, and Kendrick had the biggest rap record of the year. From a business perspective, picking him for the halftime show just made sense.
But what do you think? Was Jay-Z using the Super Bowl to settle old scores with Wayne and Birdman, or is this just reaching? And would Lil Wayne have been a better pick over Kendrick for the halftime show?