Lil Wayne is finally addressing the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show controversy.
In a raw and heartfelt video posted late Thursday night (September 12), an emotional Wayne expressed deep sorrow and pain over missing out on the major opportunity.
The rap legend, known for proudly repping his New Orlean roots, also addressed the backlash that followed the announcement and how he’s been grappling with his emotions and feelings of disappointment, which he describes as a personal letdown.
“First of all, I wanna say forgive me for the delay,” Wayne began. “I had to get strength enough to do this without breaking.”
He went on to express his gratitude to everyone who spoke up for him and reached out to him, adding:
“Your words turn into arms that held me up when I tried to fall back.”
Wayne had clearly been gearing up for a monumental stage – one his fans speculated was a potential Super Bowl performance or a high-profile appearance during the big game. But when the chance slipped away, it left the rapper heartbroken.
“That hurt. It hurt a whole lot,” the Let It All Work Out rapper admitted. “I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown and for just automatically mentally putting myself in that position; like somebody told me that was my position.”
“But I thought that was nothing better than that spot and that stage and that platform in my city, so it hurt. It hurt a whole lot.”
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Despite the setback, Wayne shared that the support he received from his fans has been a silver lining, reminding him of his place in the culture.
“But y’all. Y’all are f**king amazing,” he added, “It made me feel like s**t not getting this opportunity. But when I felt like s**t you guys reminded me that I ain’t s**t without y’all. And that’s an amazing reality.”
“It broke me, and I’m just trying to put myself back together,” he added. “But my God, have y’all helped me. Thanks to all my peers, my friends, my family, my homies on sports television, everybody repping me. I really appreciate that.”
He ended his heartfelt message with a profound sense of responsibility to those who stood by him.
“I feel like I let all of y’all down by not getting that opportunity. But I’m working on me, and I’m working. So, thank you.”
The video came just days after it was announced that Kendrick Lamar would headline the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show, a decision that sparked outrage among Wayne’s fans and peers, including Nicki Minaj, Birdman, and others.
Lil Wayne previously expressed his desire to take the stage at the event, admitting in an interview that he’d been “praying” to get the call and declaring in another, “This is my moment.”
