Lil Wayne Says He Was 'Not Mentally Prepared For A Let Down' After Super Bowl Snub

Lil Wayne is not holding back his disappointment after learning he will not be headlining the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show, set to take place in his hometown of New Orleans. 

Despite being a local icon, the rap legend revealed he was "not mentally prepared for a let-down" when he found out that Kendrick Lamar would be taking the stage instead. 

Many fans had hoped Lil Wayne would take the Super Bowl stage this time around, especially with the event coming to New Orleans.

After almost a week of silence, the rapper, born Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., finally broke his silence on Instagram following the announcement that Kendrick Lamar would be headlining the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show instead of him. 

In an emotional video posted to social media, the rapper thanked fans for their unwavering support but did not shy away from expressing his deep disappointment.

"Your words turned into arms and held me up when I tried to fall back," Wayne said. With his voice heavy with emotion, the star added:

"That hurt, hurt a whole lot. I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a let-down, and for just automatically putting myself mentally in that position like somebody told me that was my position."

Wayne admitted that he had mentally placed himself on that Super Bowl stage, especially with the event being held in his hometown of New Orleans. "I thought there was nothing better than that spot and that stageand that platform in my city. So it hurt, it hurt a whole lot," he shared. 

Despite the heartbreak, the rapper credited his fans for pulling him out of a dark place, saying their support reminded him how much they meant to him. In his words:

"And when I felt like sh-t, you guys reminded me that I ain't sh-t without y'all. And that's an amazing reality. It broke me and I'm just trying to put me back together."

Though he felt like he had let his fans down by not securing the coveted performance, Wayne reassured them that he is working on himself and pushing forward.

After Wayne opened up about his disappointment over not headlining the Super Bowl Halftime Show, his fans wasted no time flooding his post with messages of love and support.

"You could never let us down," one fan reassured him, while another declared, "You're the goat, they can't have you." The outpouring of admiration only grew, with countless followers reminding the rapper of his legendary status. 

"Nothing but love and respect for the 🐐. It's all good," one fan wrote, echoing the sentiment of many, who described him as the "Greatest to ever do it."

"YOU ABSOLUTELY DESERVED IT. WE KNOW THAT AND SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE" another added. "You were robbed, but we know what's up," one supporter insisted, expressing the frustration shared by many.

Wayne's video followed the announcement that Kendrick Lamar will headline the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show.

The Blast reported that the decision, which sparked some controversy, might be because Lamar had already performed alongside other hip-hop legends in 2022.

Meanwhile, Lamar is already preparing for the event, collaborating with pgLang company for the creative direction of his performance. The 37-year-old said in his statement:

"Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date. And I'll be there to remind the world why they got the right one."

While Lamar will handle the creative part of his performance, Jay-Z is also set to make his sixth appearance as the producer of the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2025. 

Following his recent triumph with Rihanna's 2023 performance—where he won his second Emmy for co-directing—the rap mogul continues to solidify his legacy in the world of live entertainment.

In a statement, Jay-Z lauded Lamar as "a once-in-a-generation artist and performer," emphasizing his unparalleled influence on global culture.

Jay-Z, who is one of the few Black directors to win in the outstanding directing category, praised Lamar's work as transcending music and shaping cultural landscapes worldwide.

Could Wayne missing out on the Super Bowl performance gig be linked to his memory issues? In June 2023, The Blast noted that the rapper discussed his struggles with memory loss in an interview with Rolling Stone last year.

The Grammy-winning star revealed how his once-clear catalog of music had become a blurred haze, as he admitted to struggling with distinguishing between his own tracks and albums.

Wayne confessed, "And that's just my God's truth. You could lie, ask me [about] such and such song; I wouldn't even know what we are talking about." He attributed his memory issues to his relentless work ethic, stating:

"I work every day, bro — every single day. I always look at it as the curse part of the gift and the curse."

With fans rallying behind Lil Wayne and Kendrick Lamar set to deliver a memorable performance, the 2025 Super Bowl is setting up to be a significant chapter in the celebration of hip-hop's impact and legacy.