Lil Wayne, whose hometown is New Orleans, had made no secret of his desire to be the headlining act for the 2025 Super Bowl halftime performance.

“This is an achievement for me as an artist,” he remarked in a Taylor Rooks interview from the previous year. “This is unrelated to the sport. That is really absurd. Which teams are playing and which city it is in don’t matter to me. “You played for who?” I ask. As in, what? Oh my goodness, that is a success there.

Deion Sanders, a former NFL player who is now a college football coach, even offered Weezy his backing, saying he would “put a phone call in” to help make it happen.

But when it was revealed this past weekend that Kendrick Lamar will play at Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome on February 9, his fantasy was crushed.

In addition to Dr. Dre’s star-studded performance two years ago that included a cameo from the Compton rapper, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, and surprise guest 50 Cent, Kendrick will be the first rapper to host the halftime show on his own.

Lil Wayne supporters are reacting negatively to K. Dot’s selection, despite the fact that it’s difficult to argue with his choice given how much his Drake diss track “Not Like Us,” which peaked at number one on the charts, dominated the summer and helped him win unanimously over the 6 God (who appeared to be teasing Kendrick Lamar).

Rappers of note have been quick to express their displeasure with the choice; some have even blamed JAY-Z and Roc Nation, who have assisted in planning the halftime show since 2020.

The disappointment over Weezy’s alleged Super Bowl rejection has tempered what was intended to be a historic and happy moment for K. Dot, even if neither Wayne, Kendrick, nor Hov have addressed the issue yet.

These rappers, ranging from Nicki Minaj and Birdman to Juvenile and Master P, have all spoken out in support of Weezy F. Baby.