Travis Scott and Big Boi Expected to Join Maroon 5 for Super Bowl Halftime Show
January 23, 2019
Maroon 5, Travis Scott, and Big Boi are performing during the Super Bowl LIII Halftime Show on February 3rd in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Florida.
While it is considered an enormous honor to fill the coveted position of the Halftime show, the NFL has actually had lots of difficulty in finding singers to perform in the show. Many have turned down the job because they do not agree with the NFL’s stance on former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, on his kneeling protests during the national anthem to shine a light on racism in America.
According to Billboard, the artists who have turned down the Super Bowl in solidarity to Kaepernick include Rihanna, Jay-Z, P!nk, and Cardi B.
“I was really disappointed when I heard that Maroon 5 was doing the Halftime show instead of Rihanna,” said sophomore Julia Galesi. “But I was less disappointed when I heard Travis Scott was performing with them.”
However, The “Sicko Mode” singer received a large amount of backlash in his decision to perform in the show, which seemed as if he was not in support of Kaepernick’s cause. Even rappers Jay-Z and Meek Mill reportedly contacted Scott and advised him to decline the NFL’s offer.
Scott set the record straight and announced “I know being an artist that it’s in my power to inspire. So before confirming the Super Bowl Halftime performance, I made sure to partner with the NFL on this important donation [of $500,000]. I am proud to support Dream Corps and the work they do that will hopefully inspire and promote change.”
Despite Scott’s generous donation, he is still receiving lots of backlash on social media through fans and celebrities. It is reported that he and Kaepernick discussed his decision in a phone called, and while they did not necessarily agree, they reached a point of “mutual understanding and respect”, according to ET.