Did Rihanna turn down the Super Bowl Halftime Show because she supports Colin Kaepernick?
Rihanna can’t support an organization that won’t allow its players to peacefully protest police brutality against people of color.
That’s according to Us Weekly, which reported this week that RiRi turned down an offer to
perform at the 2019 Super Bowl Halftime Show before rumors surfaced suggesting Maroon 5 will headline the bill.
A source tells Us Rihanna declined the offer “because she supports Colin Kaepernick,”
who started a trend of “taking a knee” during the National Anthem at football games back in 2016.
Since then, Donald Trump has called for players who don’t stand during the song to be fired and the NFL
has instituted a rule that allows the league to fine players or teams who visibly protest during the anthem.
Although Rihanna’s rep has not commented on the report, an insider confirmed the news to ET.
“Rihanna was the front-runner for next year’s super bowl halftime show,” said the source.
“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.” The Us source added that “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. Another source, however, told ET that the NFL talked to
both Rihanna and Pink about potentially performing but the singers “moved on” because the negotiations
were taking too long. That source claims Colin’s name never came up in the discussions.
Shortly after the story surfaced, Amy Schumer posted a screenshot of the headline and urged
Maroon 5 not to perform, either, in solidarity with players’ right to protest.