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| Chris Allmeid, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
"It broke me," he said in an emotional Instagram post. "That hurt. It hurt a lot. I thought there was nothing better than that spot, on that stage, in my city."
The NFL announced Kendrick Lamar as the headliner for Super Bowl LIX, leaving Wayne — who had hoped to represent his hometown — devastated.
Wayne's Message
In his message, Wayne expressed gratitude for the support he's received from fans and peers."First of all, I want to say forgive me for the delay," Wayne said. "I had to get the strength to do this without breaking. I want to thank every voice, every opinion, and all the care and love out there. Your words turned into arms that held me up when I tried to fall back.”
Wayne also acknowledged that he had mentally prepared himself to take the stage, leading to a greater sense of disappointment.
Wayne also acknowledged that he had mentally prepared himself to take the stage, leading to a greater sense of disappointment.
Always doing this for his fans @LilTunechi promises to only get better and is extremely appreciative of all the support 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/hNUIqlpp8Q
— Mula (@youngmoney) September 13, 2024
"I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown. I just automatically put myself in that position like somebody told me it was my spot,” he said.
Despite his heartbreak, Wayne shared how the outpouring of support has helped him cope.
“Y’all are amazing. It made me feel like I wasn’t getting this opportunity, but when I felt like shit, you reminded me that I ain’t shit without y’all. That’s an amazing reality.”
He concluded: “It broke me, and I’m just trying to put myself back together. But my God, y’all have helped me. Thank you to all my peers, my friends, my family, and my homies on sports television. I really appreciate it.”
Despite his heartbreak, Wayne shared how the outpouring of support has helped him cope.
“Y’all are amazing. It made me feel like I wasn’t getting this opportunity, but when I felt like shit, you reminded me that I ain’t shit without y’all. That’s an amazing reality.”
He concluded: “It broke me, and I’m just trying to put myself back together. But my God, y’all have helped me. Thank you to all my peers, my friends, my family, and my homies on sports television. I really appreciate it.”
Fan Outrage and Industry Reaction
Lil Wayne's Super Bowl snub has drawn vocal reactions from fans and his industry peers, including Nicki Minaj, Birdman and Boosie Badazz. Many have criticized the NFL's decision to overlook the Young Money founder, especially given his deep ties to New Orleans.Nicki Minaj, in particular, vented her frustration on social media, directing her ire at JAY-Z, who has played a key role in organizing the halftime show since 2020 through his partnership with the NFL.
Minaj accused JAY-Z of allowing personal grievances to affect the decision, claiming, "Denying a young Black man what he rightfully put into this game... Lil Wayne? The GOAT?"
“This is payback,” Cam’ron said on his sports talk show It Is What It Is. “Lil Wayne not performing in New Orleans for the Super Bowl is egregious.”
As of yet, neither Kendrick Lamar nor JAY-Z have addressed the backlash, though Lamar recently released a track that some believe alludes to the industry's drama surrounding the halftime show.
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