Maroon 5 and the NFL have announced that they will donate half a million dollars to charity before Super Bowl 53.
According to PEOPLE, the National Football League and Maroon 5‘s record lable, Interscoope Records, have partnered together to donate $500,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
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“Playing the Super Bowl has been a dream of our band for a long time,” Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine told PEOPLE exclusively. “We thank the NFL for the opportunity and also to them, along with Interscope Records, for making this donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters, which will have a major impact for children across the country.”
The big donation comes after rapper Travis Scott — who will be joining Maroon 5 on stage for the Super Bowl halftime show — announced that he would be making a “$500,000 contribution to Dream Corps, a non-profit organization that champions social justice.”
“I back anyone who takes a stand for what they believe in,” Scott told PEOPLE in a previous statement. “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. I am proud to support Dream Corps and the work they do that will hopefully inspire and promote change.”
The million dollar-total charitable donations follow what has been quite a lot of backlash over the Super Bowl halftime show. Many feel that in order to show support for former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick — who began the NFL kneeling protest to bring awareness to police brutality — neither Travis Scott nor Maroon 5 should perform.
One celebrity who joined in the call for Maroon 5 to quit was actress Amy Schumer. The comedian also praised Rihanna, who turned down the opportunity to appear in the halftime show.
“I wonder why more white players aren’t kneeling. Once you witness the truly deep inequality and endless racism people of color face in our country, not to mention the police brutality and murders. Why not kneel next to your brothers? Otherwise how are you not complicit? I think it would be cool if [Maroon 5] backed out of super bowl like [Rihana] Did,” Schumer wrote in an Instagrma post.
“I personally told my reps I wouldn’t do a Super Bowl commercial this year. I know it must sound like a privilege ass sacrifice but it’s all i got. Hitting the nfl with the advertisers is the only way to really hurt them,” she added. “I know opposing the nfl is like opposing the nra. Very tough, but don’t you want to be proud of how you’re living?”
“Stand up for your brothers and sisters of color. And the hottest thing a guy can do is get down on one knee. Not to propose but to reject the treatment of his teammates by this country. Anyone who says its disrespectful to our military please read up on the fact that a lot of veterans are proud of what [Kaepernick] is doing and fully support him.”
