In September of last year, it was announced that Kendrick Lamar would be headlining the upcoming Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show in New Orleans. The news quickly sparked mixed reactions from social media users. While some were eager to hear that Kendrick would be performing, and thought the choice made sense, others were outraged. Many believe that the opportunity should have gone to New Orleans native Lil Wayne instead, and Wayne himself later admitted that he felt snubbed.
In a new interview with The New Orleans Advocate, Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez revealed that Lil Wayne wasn't off the table. "I didn’t choose the artist, but I do believe that definitely there was consideration [for Lil Wayne]," she explained. Ultimately, however, it was decided “that Kendrick is the right person for the show at this moment.”
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Desiree Perez Explains Why Kendrick Lamar Was Chosen To Headline 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show

She went on to react to Lil Wayne expressing disappointment over the choice at Lil Weezyana Fest in November. At the time, he explained that he'd wanted his mother to be able to see him headline a Super Bowl in their hometown. “Aww,” Perez said. “I actually didn’t know he had said that. We love that everybody wants to be on the stage, that we’ve completely changed the conversation to fighting for it versus boycotting. We’ve come a long way.”
In the interview, Perez also shared why they ultimately decided to go with Kendrick. “New Orleans is so rich in culture,” she noted. “We have to take into consideration (that) whoever is going to perform can speak to music culture, regardless of age. It has to nod to real music, regardless of the genre. And Kendrick does that. Kendrick’s richness and culture is really a nod to New Orleans.”