Travis Scott And Big Boi To Join Maroon 5 At Super Bowl Halftime Show

Rappers Travis Scott and Big Boi have officially joined headliner Maroon 5 as halftime entertainment at Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta, the NFL confirmed in a Twitter post on Sunday.

Talk of who would perform at the Feb. 3 game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium had been ongoing for months, with reports that several artists had refused requests out of protest of the NFL. 

Though Maroon 5 was rumored to have signed on to perform back in September, Scott agreed only after the NFL vowed to join him in making a $500,000 donation to the nonprofit, Dream Corps, Billboard reported. The organization works to support economic, environmental and criminal justice innovators, according to its website.

“I back anyone who takes a stand for what they believe in,” Scott said in a statement obtained by Billboard and Variety. “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.”

Dream Corps appeared to confirm Scott’s support in a tweet that thanked him “for using his platform for good.”

“We are thrilled to hear about this announcement and excited to partner with Travis Scott to close prison doors and open doors of opportunities for all,” the tweet read.

Some members of the public, as well as various artists, encouraged musicians to refuse requests to perform at the show as a way to condemn the NFL’s treatment of Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback and activist.

During a preseason game in 2016, Kaepernick famously refused to stand for the national anthem at NFL games to call attention to racial injustices in the U.S. Other players emulated his protest, demonstrations that sparked controversy.  President Donald Trump has suggested that teams fire players who take a knee instead of standing for the anthem. Kaepernick became a free agent after the ’16 season and has not been signed by another team.

Rihanna, Jay-Z, and Cardi B were rumored to have turned down requests to perform at the Super Bowl because of the furor surrounding the protest movement.