Kanye West believes the NFL has “blocked” him from performing at the Super Bowl over three specific moments.
Kanye West is blaming his absence from the Super Bowl halftime stage on three headline-making moments he says got him blacklisted from the NFL’s biggest night.
In a tweet posted Monday night (April 7), West wrote, “I never was allowed to do the Super Bowl because of 3 moments.”
West listed them, citing his remarks about George Bush, his stage-stealing MTV antics and his support of the MAGA movement and Donald Trump.
“How it feel to be the best living and blocked from the main stage because of being ahead of my time,” West added. “(And I mean all of this before I went full Nazi of course.)”
The rapper referenced his 2005 outburst during a live telethon where he declared, “George Bush doesn’t care about Black people,” criticizing the federal response to Hurricane Katrina.
He also pointed to the infamous 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, where he stormed the stage during Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech and said, “Yo Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’m a let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time.”
The third moment West cited was his public embrace of Donald Trump in 2018. The controversal rapper faced wide backlash after he was photographed wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat.
Kanye West Eyes Up 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show
Despite his claim of being shut out, West previously insisted he would headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, though no official confirmation has been made by the NFL or its broadcast partners.
Kanye West claims he will be performing at the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show. pic.twitter.com/Sf1oNTPNJF
— Dr. FeelingsxFree (@chudunno_me) February 7, 2025
That declaration came amid a string of controversies, including antisemitic remarks, praise for Adolf Hitler, and merchandise featuring hate symbols.
Additionally, Kanye West aired a 15-second commercial during the 2025 Super Bowl promoting Yeezy apparel but later replaced the website’s merchandise with a s#######-emblazoned T-shirt.
Meanwhile, West’s upcoming album, WW3, includes track titles and lyrics that have been widely condemned for offensive content.
