The announcement that Kendrick Lamar will headline the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show has sparked considerable controversy, particularly from Nicki Minaj.

The decision, made by Jay-Z, who has been co-producing the halftime show since 2019, has been met with backlash from fans and artists alike. The Super Bowl LIX is set to take place on February 9, 2025, at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Nicki Minaj took to social media to express her discontent, arguing that the honor should have gone to Lil Wayne, a native of New Orleans.

In a series of posts, Minaj suggested that Jay-Z's decision was influenced by his ongoing feud with Drake, stating, "Your hatred for BIRDMAN, Drake & Nicki got you punishing Lil Wayne?!?!!! LIL WAYNE!!!!!!!!!! THE GOAT?!!!!!!!!!!! Nola what’s good?!!!!!!" She further emphasized the importance of recognizing legends while they are still alive, writing, "God forbid if Wayne was to leave this earth right now, the culture would be in mourning. That’s why so many ppl keep saying to give our legends their flowers while they are still around to smell them."

Other associates of Lil Wayne, including Birdman, Master P, Cam’ron, and Mase, also criticized Jay-Z's decision. Birdman and Mase echoed Minaj's sentiments, suggesting without evidence that Jay-Z had passed over Lil Wayne due to his feud with Drake. Despite the criticism, Jay-Z has not publicly responded to these allegations.

Lil Wayne himself had expressed his desire to headline the Super Bowl Halftime Show earlier this year. During an appearance on YG’s 4HUNNID podcast, he stated, "I will not lie to you, I have not got a call. But we all praying, we keeping our fingers crossed. I’m working hard. I’m going to make sure this next album and everything I do is killer, so I’m going make it very hard for them to…I want to just make it hard for them not to highlight the boy."

Jay-Z's tenure as curator of the Super Bowl Halftime Show has seen a variety of performers, but notably, aside from Dr. Dre’s 2022 performance at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, the show hasn’t typically featured a hometown performer. This fact has added fuel to the fire, with critics arguing that Lil Wayne, given his contributions to the rap game and his New Orleans roots, deserved the spotlight.