Super Bowl LIII Halftime Show Adds Travis Scott to Lineup With Maroon 5

Rapper Travis Scott is joining Maroon 5 for the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show in February, according to TMZ.

The news outlet reports that Scott, who is currently in the midst of a headlining tour promoting his new album, Astroworld, will play alongside the legendary band at Super Bowl LIII.

The outlet also reports that Scott’s girlfriend Kylie Jenner, with whom he welcomed daughter Stormi Webster just days before Super Bowl LII, will attend the performance as well. She and Stormi have been on tour with Scott for the past few months.

Despite reports that Maroon 5 was having difficulty finding an artist to play the iconic event with, TMZ reports that the band is also in talks with several other artists about possibly joining in, like Cardi B and Outkast’s Big Boi.

The addition of Scott to the lineup will likely help quell the concern of many fans who bashed the NFL for not including a hip-hop artist in the halftime show considering that Super Bowl LIII will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, a city with a rich background in the genre.

Rapper Wacka Flocka Flame was among those calling out the league for passing over Atlanta rappers like himself, Ludacris, Childish Gambino, T.I., Lil Jon, Outkast’s Big Boi and André 3000, CeeLo Green, Usher and many more.

Despite the fact that TMZ reports Scott as a halftime show performer, neither he nor Maroon 5 have officially confirmed their participation in the gig. In a November interview with Variety, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine was asked about the group’s decision to sign on, but he only replied, “I’m still formulating a lot of things.”

He did allude to the performance on a recent appearance of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, with the eponymous host coyly asking the singer about the show.

“It’s the Super Bowl,” Levine acknowledged. “It’s going to be a great event and there’s going to be a band…or an artist of some kind performing at halftime. And it’s going to be great regardless of whoever it is. Whoever is lucky enough to get that gig, probably is going to crush it.”

When DeGeneres asked how he would feel should his band be the one performing, he said, “If it were me, I’d be excited. I’d be nervous. I just can’t wait to watch.”

But not everyone is excited for the halftime show. A petition has been circulating the internet calling for Maroon 5 to drop out of the show in support of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, in light of reports that Rihanna turned down the same offer in support of him.

“Kaepernick risked his career to take a knee for equality, and the NFL punished him for it,” the petition reads. “Until the league changes their policy and support players’ constitutional right to protest, no artists should agree to work with the NFL. Join me in asking Maroon 5 to drop out of the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show.”

Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem ahead of NFL games in 2016 as a peaceful protests against inequality and police brutality. He no longer plays in the NFL.

“The NFL and CBS really wanted Rihanna to be next year’s performer in Atlanta,” a source told Us Weekly. “They offered it to her, but she said no because of the kneeling controversy. She doesn’t agree with the NFL’s stance.”

Super Bowl LIII will air on CBS on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019.