Nicki Minaj blasts Jay-Z over Super Bowl Halftime show decisions, defends Lil Wayne

"One n**** took a knee, the other n**** took the bag," Minaj criticizes Jay-Z's handling of Super Bowl halftime lineup

The selection of Kendrick Lamar as the headliner for the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show has ignited a storm of reactions across the hip-hop community. 

While icons like Jay-Z and Rihanna have expressed their support, Nicki Minaj has taken a starkly opposing stance, especially concerning the omission of Lil Wayne from the lineup—a move she attributes to personal biases held by Jay-Z.

On September 9, Nicki Minaj unleashed a barrage of criticism on X (formerly Twitter), accusing Jay-Z of letting his personal "hatred" for Drake, Birdman, and herself influence his decisions, particularly regarding the potential inclusion of Lil Wayne in the event set in New Orleans. 

She expressed her frustration vividly: "One n**** took a knee. The other n**** took the bag. He gon get you 'n*****s' in line every f*cking time," drawing a parallel between Colin Kaepernick and Jay-Z’s responses to the NFL protest movements.

Nicki continued her rant by calling Jay-Z "spiteful & evil" and lamenting the denial of opportunities to Lil Wayne, whom she refers to as "THE GOAT." 

Her posts reflect a deep resentment towards perceived injustices within the industry, specifically pointing out the contrasts in support, citing Eminem's firm stance on having 50 Cent appear, despite reported barriers.

Adding to the discourse, Birdman voiced his support for Nicki’s statements, emphasizing solidarity with Young Money and vowing to command respect for their contributions to the music industry.

Throughout her posts, Nicki Minaj highlighted Lil Wayne's significant contributions to hip-hop, both known and unrecognized, urging the community to appreciate the legends of rap while they are still present. 

She concluded by clarifying that her comments were not directed at Kendrick Lamar but were meant to spotlight the disparities and biases she perceives within the industry, particularly from those in power.