Drake has indeed turned down the Super Bowl halftime show on multiple occasions, according to Elliott Wilson.
In the latest episode of HipHopDX’s The Bigger Picture, Wilson — who serves as Editorial Director of Hip Hop Journalism at UPROXX Studios, DX’s parent company — confirmed the news, which was first made public by New Rory & Mal co-host Mal earlier this week.
The veteran Hip Hop journalist got more specific than Mal, revealing another interesting layer to the story. He said that Drake was asked to perform at the Super Bowl twice: first, in 2020 in Miami, and again the following year in Tampa.
Behind these offers was, of course, JAY-Z, who began working with the NFL in 2019 to help organize the league’s halftime show.
After Drake turned them down, the 2020 Super Bowl halftime show was instead headlined by Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, while Drizzy’s friend-turned-foe The Weekend landed the gig in 2021, adding another twist to the tale.
“I have some intel. I thought Mal was capping, I thought he was lying about Drake turning down the Super Bowl. That sounded wild. It was like, ‘Four times? Who turns down the Super Bowl that many times?'” Wilson said.
“I have it on authority, multiple sources have told me that Drake has indeed turned down the Super Bowl. He actually turned down the first two [since JAY-Z’s NFL partnership] — the one in Miami and The Weeknd one.”
He added: “These guys are rivals with each other, they’ve had their good times and bad times with each other. But businesswise, JAY-Z wanted Drake on that Super Bowl stage and he turned it down twice.”
Elliott Wilson confirms Drake turned down the Super Bowl Halftime Show twice 👀 After Mal’s claim, Elliott’s sources verified Drake was offered the show in 2020 and 2021, the first two years JAY-Z helped pick. No reason was given for his decision. Full episode of… pic.twitter.com/jo3CXCNCsf
— HipHopDX (@HipHopDX) September 13, 2024
Wilson then defended Hov against claims that selecting Drake’s bitter rival Kendrick Lamar to perform at next year’s Super Bowl was a slight against the 6 God, as suggested by the likes of Nicki Minaj and Cam’ron.
“So now, years later, when the opportunity’s asked of Kendrick and Kendrick says, ‘Yes,’ is Jay not playing fair there?” he asked. “Should Drake feel a way about it when he knows himself he’s had the opportunity to do it but he’s turned it down twice?”
The revelation arrives amid commotion surrounding Kendrick’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show, which takes place in New Orleans on February 9.
Many — including Birdman, Juvenile and Master P — have taken issue with the decision, arguing that Lil Wayne should’ve been given the nod considering he is a New Orleans legend and had openly coveted the gig.
Much of this anger has been directed at JAY-Z, with Nicki Minaj accusing the Roc Nation mogul of denying her Young Money mentor the opportunity out of “hatred” for herself, Birdman and Drake.
While neither Jay nor Kendrick have yet addressed the backlash, Wayne himself appeared heartbroken in an Instagram video shared on Friday (September 13) in which he admitted that the snub “hurt a lot.”
“I thought there was nothing better than that spot and that stage and that platform in my city, so it hurt. It hurt a whole lot,” he said, adding: “It broke me and I’m just trying to put me back together.”
The full episode of The Bigger Picture airs on Saturday (September 14) on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Additional reporting by Elise Ricks and Jeremy Hecht.
Elliot Wilson knows what’s up. Them Drake nuts taste the best after you’ve just got done dick riding Drake. Yummy Yum
Shit has nothing to do with Drake but it always comes back around to it. Wayne wanted to do it, and it would have been a good gesture for hip hop. But these black corporate stooges are no different from the white ones.
I mean imagine believing that Drake hasn’t been offered to do the Super Bowl halftime show not just once but multiple times before and after Roc Nation took over with it. Katy freaking Perry who is hated by white people did the show. Even Jay-Z pushes his petty beefs to the side like his white mentors if there is money to be made, which is why he collaborated with both Wayne and Drake multiple times despite clearly not liking them. That’s white man business 101, something that notice has proliferated hip hop since they took over with it about 20 years ago when back in the day, you couldn’t pay dudes who didn’t like each other to fuck with each other or do anything together, money or not. It was just one of those principles of life. I’m continuously in awe of how stupid the public is these days though.
An we’re in awe of how much of a little bitch you are.
You should be in awe of my dick in your girl’s mouth. Yes, she told you it’s three times the size of yours.
You sound like a pedophile for real. I have young two daughters you sicko. Guess you have to follow behind your idol.
Im confused why Wayne is entitled to the sb just bc it’s his city lol
Say something that nobody said and then use that as your argument.
Kendrick is a Pulitzer Prize winning hiphop artist who for the most part promotes unity and values. He’s also black, dark skinned at that.
Yet.., the crabs are crying that a baby daddy drug addict who influenced lean addictions and violence to the youth for decades didn’t get the spot this year?
Threats for another black man who got the spot— this year… just toddler behavior!
Won’t grow up and build infrastructure, Solid homes or a thriving communities no matter how much money and influence slips through them birdman rubbing hands.
Burn it down and let the party die Kdot cuz it’s a lot out here that’s not like us.
Bruh, stop taking this shit so seriously. Kendrick has plenty of degenerate music himself. He also on that respectability politics shit, or maybe they’ve scrubbed off the internet what he said about Mike Brown when the police smoked him. I think that’s why he got off social media like Rihanna, he was saying a lot of stupid shit when he’d comment on the issues of the day. All of these people are just entertainers, and Wayne is the GOAT of New Orleans. That’s all anybody said is that if you were going to get a rapper to do it, you should have gotten the best that city has ever produced to rock the show and put on for his city. All this other weird shit you people are injecting into it isn’t necessary. People out here acting like Wayne is Rick Ross or Trick Daddy level type of star to his city when you know this guy was the man at one point in the game, the rare crossover rap superstar.
Good. Maybe now all the barrel crabs will calm tf down.
Drake’s music is garbage.
Drake isn’t Hip Hop. Let TMZ post this.
It’s been confirmed drake has NEVER been asked to perform the Superbowl. Another L for drake fans.
What?
Elliot Wilson confirms Nepo Glazer Mal Klump
Meanwhile, Bloomberg cites NFL sources and says blatant lie.
Elliot Wilson “confirms” Nepo Glazer Mal Klump. Elliot still sad he can’t eat off of Drake and has dwindling popularity
Meanwhile, Bloomberg cites NFL sources and says blatant lie