The announcement of Kendrick Lamar as the headliner for the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show has stirred up controversy within the hip-hop community.
While many view Lamar as one of the hottest rap artists in the world, some are not happy with the decision.
The Super Bowl, set to take place in New Orleans, has sparked debate among hip-hop royalty, with artists like Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Birdman, Master P, and Cam’ron expressing their disappointment that the hometown hero, Lil Wayne, was not chosen for the coveted slot.
Speculation has arisen that Jay-Z, who has been involved in producing the NFL event since 2019, may have influenced the selection of Kendrick Lamar over Lil Wayne.
The history between Lil Wayne and Jay-Z dates back to 2006 when Lil Wayne took issue with Jay-Z’s claim that “hip-hop was dead” in his album Kingdom Come.
The feud between the two rappers may have resurfaced with the recent Super Bowl announcement, as hinted by rapper Cam’ron on his YouTube series.
Nicki Minaj also made posts on social media seemingly criticizing Jay-Z for denying Lil Wayne the opportunity to perform at the event.
Despite the controversy, Kendrick Lamar has garnered support from other artists in the industry.
Master P commended Lamar as one of the hottest music artists globally but emphasized the importance of acknowledging Lil Wayne’s contributions to hip-hop, especially as a New Orleans native.
While Kendrick Lamar has a significant following and accolades, including multiple Grammy awards and being the first hip-hop artist to win the Pulitzer Prize for music, the decision to overlook Lil Wayne has sparked a debate about recognizing legends in the industry.