Lil Wayne says it ‘hurt’ that Kendrick Lamar was picked to perform at the Super Bowl. Here’s what to know about the controversy.

Echoing the thoughts of many fans, Minaj cited Wayne’s close ties to New Orleans as a key reason for the let-down.

After all, when the 2022 Super Bowl was played at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Dr. Dre was selected to lead the halftime show as an homage to West Coast hip-hop. Lamar, who hails from Compton, California, was one of several rappers who joined the performance.

This sentiment has been echoed by fellow rappers like Master P, Cam’ron, and Mase.

“As Ambassador of Entertainment in the City of New Orleans, I have to agree with the fans that @liltunechi #LilWayne should be a part of this celebration as well,” Master P wrote on Instagram. “He’s one of the greatest Hip Hop artists alive, still relevant, and he’s a New Orleans native.”

Both Minaj and Cam’ron also suggested that Jay-Z, who has a partnership with the NFL, intentionally snubbed Wayne — possibly due to his contentious relationship with Birdman, the CEO of Cash Money. That beef dates back to 2009, when Birdman said Wayne is a better emcee than Jay-Z. (That being said, Wayne and Birdman have since fallen out, largely due to professional and financial disputes, whereas Wayne and Jay-Z seem to be at peace.)

“Denying a young black man what he rightfully put into this game for no other reason but your ego,” Minaj wrote. “Your hatred for BIRDMAN, Drake & Nicki got you punishing Lil Wayne?!?!!! LIL WAYNE!!!!!!!!!! THE GOAT?!!!!!!!!!!! Nola what’s good?!!!!!!”

Some fans have also blamed Jay-Z for not picking Wayne — but he probably didn’t have the final say

It seems that Lamar has a solid relationship with the Carters, if not a close one — Lamar has been featured on Beyoncé’s songs “Freedom” and “America Has a Problem,” plus he appeared in last year’s “Renaissance” tour film — leading some to describe his Super Bowl selection as biased. In a column for USA Today, Mike Freeman said it was an example of Jay-Z “reshaping the image of the NFL.”

As Business Insider previously reported, Jay-Z has influenced the process of picking halftime performers since he partnered with the NFL in 2019. He also gave Lamar a strong vote of confidence in a statement shared by Roc Nation this week.

“Kendrick Lamar is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer,” Jay-Z said. “His deep love for hip-hop and culture informs his artistic vision. He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture globally. Kendrick’s work transcends music, and his impact will be felt for years to come.”

Since Lamar framed his beef with Drake as a battle between a real rapper and a culture vulture (“You run to Atlanta when you need a few dollars / No, you not a colleague, you a fucking colonizer,” he raps in “Not Like Us”), Jay-Z’s statement could be interpreted as him siding with Lamar over Drake, and, by extension, the entire Young Money crew.

However, when choosing a Super Bowl performer, Jay-Z’s is not the only vote that matters.

In 2023 and 2022, the game’s host cities — Las Vegas and Los Angeles, respectively — have come up with a shortlist of performers, which they subsequently propose to the NFL, according to NPR.

Jay-Z is one member of the NFL board that’s tasked with weighing these options and selecting one. Then, of course, the artist must agree to the offer.

Other prominent voices in the music industry have come to Jay-Z’s defense amid the backlash, including Fat Joe and Fabolous.

“Jay-Z is a big voice,” Fat Joe said in a video shared on Instagram. “But, you know, he gotta go through the NFL ranks, the Roger Goodells, everything like that, so they could come out with who’s performing at halftime. It ain’t just one man’s decision.”

A representative for Jay-Z did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.