New Orleans Music Legend Was in Consideration To Perform Super Bowl Halftime Show Before Kendrick Lamar

With the Super Bowl scheduled to kick off on February 9th, the Kansas City Chiefs looked to continue their domination of the NFL. At the same time, the Philadelphia Eagles hoped to edge out the competition with quarterback Jalen Hurts. With both teams proving themselves throughout the season, the matchup is sure to be memorable. But besides watching the teams clash on the field, Kendrick Lamar will join the ranks of stars like Michael Jackson, Prince, Lady Gaga, and even Bruce Springsteen when he performs during the Halftime Show. And showing what it takes to make it to the stage, the Roc Nation CEO offered some insight into the process. 

Speaking with The New Orleans Advocate, Desiree Perez, the CEO of Roc Nation, explained the process of picking the right performer. When discussing Lamar, she insisted he was “the right person for the show at this moment.” Although Lamar ended up landing the gig, there were other artists in the running like Lil Wayne. And given that the rapper grew up in New Orleans, where the Super Bowl is being held, he was passed over. 

Even with Lil Wayne expressing his hopes of performing at the Super Bowl with his mom in attendance, Perez said, “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.”

[RELATED: “I Blame Myself”: Lil Wayne Breaks Silence on Super Bowl Halftime Show Snubbin]

NFL Hopes Kendrick Lamar Could Bring “Generations Together”

With Perez standing behind the decision to pick Lamar, the CEO  noted how the process was more than booking a performer. “If it was just booking an act, that’s easy. But it’s not. It’s more about when, why, who. What is the theme? What is the pulse of the times, of where we’re going, of what people are listening to? We take all that into consideration.”

Wanting to keep up with popular music, Perez focused on picking an artist who people around the world would know even if they were not fans. “Not everyone in the world listens to the same thing. [The show should be] entertaining to everyone, whether (or not) they know the artist, is key. [It is] a way to acknowledge our times and, at the same time, respect everyone that’s watching. Genres of music have evolved in such a way that hip-hop is loved by White, Black, all races. That’s the idea — bringing generations together.”

While a future Halftime show with Lil Wayne could happen, the rapper will have to sit on the sidelines during the Chiefs/Eagles matchup.

(Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)