Cardi B confirmed that she had declined an offer to perform at this year’s Super Bowl in support of Colin Kaepernick.
The “Like That” rapper told the Associated Press that it was a hard decision to make because of the money on the table, as well as her husband Offset’s love for football. But ultimately, she had to choose to walk away.
“My husband, he loves football. His kids play football. It’s really hard for him. … He really wants to go to the Super Bowl, but he can’t go to the Super Bowl, because he’s got to stand for something,” said Cardi B.
“You have to sacrifice that,” she added. “I got to sacrifice a lot of money to perform. But there’s a man who sacrificed his job for us, so we got to stand behind him.”
Many are still protesting the NFL following its treatment of the former San Francisco 49er, Kaepernick, who started kneeling during the national anthem before football games to protest against police brutality. Since he was released from the 49ers, Kaepernick remains unsigned despite being a healthy and productive quarterback.
Multiple reports have surfaced of artists turning down the gig in support of Colin Kaepernick, including Rihanna and Cardi B., who is featured on a track with Maroon 5.
Cardi’s comments came days before Travis Scott and Big Boi are set to take the stage alongside Maroon 5 for the halftime show on Sunday. Gladys Knight has also been scheduled to perform the National Anthem. Each artist has received severe backlash for their decision to perform.
Kaepernick’s attorney Mark Geragos called Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine’s rationalization on his participation “a cop out” and that his decision to perform at the Superbowl was crossing an “intellectual picket line.”
“If you’re going to cross this ideological or intellectual picket line, then own it, and Adam Levine certainly isn’t owning it,” Geragos said in an interview with Today. “It’s a cop-out when you start talking about, ‘I’m not a politician; I’m just doing the music.’ Most of the musicians who have any kind of consciousness whatsoever understand what’s going on here.”