It’s being reported by US Weekly that American singer, Rihanna, has turned down an offer from the NFL to perform at the 2019 Super Bowl in solidarity to former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick.
READ: Rihanna Makes History As First Black Woman To Cover British Vogue
Sources told the magazine that the NFL “really wanted” Rihanna to perform, but she declined due to the league’s stance on kneeling during the American national anthem.
Kaepernick launched his campaign in 2016 in protest of injustices faced by African-Americans in America. He was and soon joined by many athletes in the NFL and around the world who caught the wave of his cause. The athlete opted out of his contract in 2017 and is currently suing the NFL and its owners for colluding to prevent his hiring.
Maroon 5 will now perform at Super Bowl 2019 which holds on February 3 in Atlanta. ‘Bodak Yellow’ rapper, Cardi B, is also reportedly in talks with the Super Bowl for her own solo set.
The Super Bowl is the most-watched event on television in the United States annually, and the halftime show is equally as significant to the nation’s pop culture.