Lil Wayne has officially closed the door on ever performing at the Super Bowl Halftime Show — a stage he once dreamed of gracing. In a new Rolling Stone cover story, the rap legend revealed that the NFL robbed him of the excitement and respect he once had for the iconic gig.
When Kendrick Lamar was announced as the 2025 headliner, Wayne admits he felt blindsided. Not only was the big game in his hometown of New Orleans — a perfect full-circle moment — but Wayne says the NFL had hinted he was in the running. He claims they encouraged him to make rare public appearances, attend A-list events like Michael Rubin’s all-white parties, and even do projects with Tom Brady — all out of character for the notoriously reclusive rapper.
“To perform, it’s a bunch of things they’re going to tell you to do and not do,” Wayne said. “You ain’t never seen me in them types of venues. I ain’t Drake. I’m in the stu’, smokin’ and recording.”
But when the announcement dropped and his name wasn’t on it, the NFL allegedly gave him the cold shoulder: “We ain’t in charge.”
“They stole that feeling,” Wayne admitted. “I don’t want to do it. It was perfect.”
Still, the Super Bowl stage wasn’t completely without Weezy. During the big game, a commercial for Cetaphil aired — revealing the official release date for Tha Carter VI: June 6.
And if you thought Wayne was backing down, think again. The album is loaded with heavy hitters and surprise cameos: Miley Cyrus, Bono, Andrea Bocelli, Machine Gun Kelly, Elephant Man, and even his 15-year-old son, Kameron. Production comes from Wyclef Jean, Wheezy, and possibly Kanye West.
Lil Wayne may not be on that halftime stage — but with Carter VI, he’s still center field in hip-hop.
