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link: https://washingtoninformer.com/black-performers-say-no-to-super-bowl/
Black Performers Say ‘No’ to Super Bowl
Keka Araujo, Special to The Informer via DiversityInc
December 20, 2018The CBS network is having a hard time getting popular Black artists to perform at the once “coveted” Super Bowl halftime gig.
After being turned down flat by superstar Rihanna, the beleaguered network can’t pay Black performers to come on stage for the show on Feb. 3. In the two years since Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem in protest of police violence against Blacks, massive boycotts of the NFL by Blacks have occurred.
He was later blackballed from the racist league. Kaepernick has not yet returned to the field, but has managed to garner waves of support from a slew of notable celebrities and musicians.
So far on the list of artists who’ve said no are: Cardi B, Usher, Mary J. Blige and Andre 3000 from the rap duo Outkast.
Cardi B was one of Kaepernick’s most vocal supporters and gave the former football star a shout-out during the 2017 MTV VMAs: “Colin Kaepernick, as long as you kneel with us, we’re gonna be standing for you, baby. That’s right, I said it.”
There’s that.
Organizers are said to have approached Lauryn Hill as well but no word has been given if she’s accepted the invite.
Maroon 5 with lead singer Adam Levine was reported to have accepted the cursed gig, but even they backpedaled when a Change.org petition was started to stop them from performing. Apparently, the pressure must have been too much because frontman Levine backpedaled on the confirmed gig, stating:
“What the hell are you talking about? It’s a rumor. I can neither confirm nor deny the truth of this rumor. It’s definitely a rumor. And the rumor’s a rumor that everyone seems to be discussing. It’s the Super Bowl. It’s a great event and there’s gonna be a band performing … or an artist of some kind performing at halftime. And it’s gonna be great, regardless of who it is.”
It looks like it’s going to be a tough ride for CBS given the fact that last year’s Super Bowl’s ratings were trash. It was the least-watched Super Bowl since 2009.
According to an NFL Insider, “Nobody wants to be associated with it.”
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