Kendrick Lamar’s upcoming halftime performance at Super Bowl LIX has been one of the most anticipated in recent memory. With his infamous track “Not Like Us” dominating the charts all year, the battle-tested rap veteran is poised for an electrifying moment on music’s biggest stage.
When the NFL announced that Super Bowl LIX would be in New Orleans, many fans believed Lil Wayne was an obvious choice to represent his hometown. Since the NFL and Roc Nation announced that Lamar was the headliner, there has been chatter on social media about whether the “Lollipop” rapper was snubbed from the opportunity.
After recently being hired as commentator by ESPN, Cam Newton was asked about the pending performance during a College GameDay episode. Alongside Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe on “First Take,” he expressed that while he did not believe the NFL made the right decision, he did believe that Lamar would put on a great show.
Detailing more about his thoughts, he said, “One thing that they did in Los Angeles, what I thought was so brilliant, they put people on to the West Coast culture. And I think with a big platform like Super Bowl, going into New Orleans, why not Lil Wayne? Why not Master P? Why not Cash Money?”
The former NFL MVP stood his ground despite being booed by a lone fan in the crowd. His sentiments reflect those of many who believed they would hopefully see the Young Money CEO rocking out in the city he loves so dearly.
Lil Wayne responded to the initial announcement, expressing his disappointment about not being chosen for the exciting gig on his social media accounts. In his statement he expressed, “Your words turned into arms and held me up when I tried to fall back,” after receiving an outpouring of love from his fans following the news that the Compton-bred emcee would be leading the show. Many speculate if Lamar would attempt to bring Wayne out as a guest due to his history of praising the legendary emcee.
Check out the teaser for the Apple Music halftime show at Super Bowl LIX featuring Kendrick Lamar below!