Rihanna has been a busy woman the last few years, but some onlookers are still wondering as to whether she plans to headline the 2019 Super Bowl Halftime Show following rumors that she might. However, she cleared that question right up after speaking with ET.
“I still got an album to finish,” she told the outlet at her Savage X Fenty show at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. “You gonna ask me about Super Bowl? My fans about to have my neck.”
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Her response shouldn’t come as a surprise after she turned down the opportunity last year — instead having artist like Maroon 5, Travis Scott and Big Boi stepping in.
“CBS and the NFL reached out to Rihanna first, who after thinking about the offer, decided to pass due to the NFL and the situation regarding players kneeling,” a source told the outlet, adding that the singer stood “with the players and Colin Kaepernick.”
“The offer and exposure would have been great for Rihanna as she’s planning a new album and tour but she stuck to what’s right in her eyes,” the source added.
Kaepernick started a movement during the 2016 NFL preseason when he started kneeling during the national anthem as a way to protest against the violence among police officers and civilians. As a result, this encouraged several players across the league to do the same, in which turned into a media frenzy. While many on and off the field agree with Kaepernick, there are still many that don’t. As a result, artists like Rihanna have shunned the NFL in the last three years and when Scott decided to sign on to the deal, he immediately had to defend himself against angry fans. However, he did call the former NFL quarterback to inform him of his decision to proceed with the opportunity, but did mention that all funds he earned would be put towards the non-profit Dream Corps — an organization dedicated to helping social justice.
Despite the fact that it was reported that Jay-Z was urging the rapper to back out of the halftime performance, last month, Jay’s entertainment company, Roc Nation, announced their long-term partnership with the NFL as the league’s official Live Music Entertainment Strategists. The goal is to “nurture and strengthen community” through music and to help inspire change.
Now that he’s doing business with the NFL, Rihanna may change her mind considering their close relationship, but in the meantime, Jennifer Lopez is being looked at now.
“Jennifer and the NFL have been in talks for a while, but there are many factors that go into the deal before it’s official,” the source explained. “Jennifer has been saying for a while she wants to perform at the halftime show and it looks like her dream may come true.”
