The Super Bowl LIX Halftime Star Cast proved controversialdrawing criticism from the NFL, Roc Nation and Jay-Z in particularIt's familiar territory for the rapper-turned-mogul whose partnership with the NFL was criticized from the very beginning. But he has at least one supporter in his corner – former rap rival and Golden Era pioneer Fat Joe, who defended Jay during live stream on his Instagram accountDuring his lengthy monologue, Joe suggested that while Jay-Z's deal with the NFL may not be ideal, rappers like Kendrick Lamar or Lil Wayne won't even have the opportunity to headline the Super Bowl halftime show.
While acknowledging the contingent of hip-hop executives who wanted Lil Wayne to headline New Orleans, he argued that “it wasn’t just one person’s decision” and “if he didn’t do shows, it wouldn’t be hip-hop.” He pointed to the 2022 show, which was headlined by rap legends Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg and featured performances by 50 Cent, Eminem, and Kendrick Lamar, as an example, and joked that if it weren’t for Jay, the halftime show would have featured the viral country-folk song “Cotton-Eyed Joe.” While that may be an exaggeration on his part, the last controversial rap act to perform at a halftime show was the Black Eyed Peas in 2011, at the height of “I Gotta Feeling” and “Boom Boom Pow Pow.”
So, although it wasn't Jay's Solution Joe believes that by inviting Kendrick (or turning down Lil Wayne), his influence has at least opened the door for non-traditional artists as hip-hop continues to go farther.