Joe Budden and his podcast co-hosts took a critical look at Lil Wayne’s recent comments regarding the Super Bowl Halftime Show lineup, calling out the rapper for feeling “entitled” to the spot. The discussion was sparked by Lil Wayne’s statement at the 2024 Lil WeezyAna Fest, where he claimed that he had the halftime show opportunity “ripped” from him, especially since the next Super Bowl will be held in his hometown of New Orleans. Instead, Kendrick Lamar has been tapped as the headliner for the performance.

On the podcast, Budden’s co-host Ice didn’t hold back, suggesting Wayne’s sense of loss over the gig lacked justification. “I don’t like when he says this was snatched from me. I don’t like that,” Ice stated firmly. “We never saw anything where they said you had the Super Bowl. So, what is snatched from you? It was assumed by you and a lot of your fans and a lot of the public.” He concluded by calling Wayne’s reaction “entitlement.”

Budden, however, brought a different perspective, speculating that Wayne’s belief might not be entirely unfounded. He suggested that Wayne could have had behind-the-scenes discussions about the halftime show that led him to believe he was in the running. “I think he definitely spoke to Hov or somebody on that board that’s in charge of that,” Budden proposed, referring to Jay-Z’s influential role in NFL entertainment decisions. “I think they may have told him—laid out a guideline of things that the person they pick has to accomplish and do.”

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Budden also suggested that Wayne may have been working to meet some unofficial requirements he believed would strengthen his case for the spot. “Maybe he didn’t like how he found out the news that Kendrick was performing,” Budden added, implying Wayne might have felt blindsided by the final decision.

The conversation highlighted the unique cultural significance of the Super Bowl Halftime Show, especially when it intersects with hometown pride, as it would for New Orleans native Lil Wayne. Whether Wayne’s disappointment stems from an assumption or a misunderstood conversation remains unclear, but it has sparked a broader conversation about the complexities behind securing such a coveted performance spot.

As the Super Bowl approaches, fans will undoubtedly be watching to see how Kendrick Lamar’s performance unfolds and how Lil Wayne responds to the moment he once envisioned as his own.