Memphis Bleek has weighed in on the backlash directed at Jay-Z and the NFL from Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne regarding the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show.
In an interview with TMZ, Bleek responded to recent criticisms stemming from a verse Nicki Minaj delivered on a remix of Lil Wayne’s track “Banned From NO.” On the track, Minaj rapped, “NFL, fire some n****s and then call us,” voicing frustration over what many fans saw as a snub against Wayne—especially given that the Super Bowl was held in his hometown of New Orleans.
“Why? If they fire us, they don’t need no more n*****s,” Memphis Bleek said. “So, when we done, you ain’t gone’ be able to get that bag. Chill out. We cleaning up, baby girl. You should come clean up with us.” He noted that he still takes no issue with Nicki Minaj. “I love Nicki Minaj,” he said. “I have no harsh words for the Queen of rap.”
As for Wayne, Memphis Bleek still described him as his “brother” as well. “It would be if you stop digging your own hole,” Bleek said. “Antagonizing and mentioning stuff… Let them come to you. The more you want something, the more it runs from you.”
Lil Wayne had previously expressed disappointment that Jay-Z, who oversees the NFL’s music strategy through Roc Nation, chose Kendrick Lamar over him for the performance. While Minaj’s verse didn’t appear on the standard version of Tha Carter VI, it was later included on the bonus edition of the album.
Minaj has been vocal in her support for Wayne, defending him on social media last year. She suggested that Jay-Z’s alleged disdain for her, Drake, and Birdman influenced his decision to keep Wayne off the Super Bowl stage.
“Denying a young black man what he rightfully put into this game for no other reason but your ego,” she wrote at the time. as caught by HipHopDX. “Your hatred for BIRDMAN, Drake & Nicki got you punishing Lil Wayne?!?!!!”
Wayne also spoke about how much the snub hurt him in a video on social media. “That hurt. It hurt a lot. You know what I’m talking about. It hurt a whole lot,” he said. “I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown, and for automatically mentally putting myself in that position like somebody told me that was my position. So I blame myself for that.” Speaking with Rolling Stone after the game, he admitted that he didn’t bother watching Kendrick Lamar’s performance.
Memphis Bleek, a longtime Roc-A-Fella affiliate, pushed back on the criticism in his TMZ chat, calling for respect to be shown to Jay-Z’s efforts within the NFL.
