Waka Flocka Criticizes Maroon 5 Pick For Super Bowl Halftime Show, Says ‘Black Artist Should Perform’
Waka Flocka isn’t a fan of the NFL’s pick of Maroon 5 for the Super Bowl LIII halftime show. With Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium serving as the venue for the event, Flocka feels that the NFL missed an opportunity to present some of the city’s brightest stars, as well as connect with their players that support Atlanta artists.
In a video interview with TMZ, Flocka gave credit to Maroon 5 as “legends,” but countered that several of today’s most popular current artists come from Atlanta and offering one of them a hometown gig would have been an incredible opportunity for the city to show its culture. Migos and Future were two examples that Flocka cited while emphasizing that with all of the bad publicity surrounding the NFL on the issues of race, looking to involve a black performer would have been a good look for the league.
“I think for the Super Bowl you should have someone from Atlanta representin’ Atlanta. Just cause the Super Bowl here we can give them that spice. I think they should have someone like Migos, Future, somebody I could come play ‘Hard In The Paint,’ somebody I don’t know. They need somebody from Atlanta in it, it’s only right,” said Flocka. “It’s not fair, but its the NFL we’re talking about.”
Waka Flocka Flame Bashes NFL's Maroon 5 Pick For Super Bowl Halftime Show in Atlanta https://t.co/bKluJQo7gb
— TMZ (@TMZ) September 20, 2018
To be fair to the NFL, rumors quickly circulated that two of the biggest names in current hip-hop, Cardi B and Travis Scott, will have some involvement in the production, according to Billboard. Maroon 5’s collaboration with Cardi B, “Girls Like You,” currently occupies the second spot on the Billboard Hot 100, making her a very likely choice to be involved. Scott has also established himself in the mainstream with the release of Astroworld, with the album spending two weeks in the top spot of the Billboard Top 200. Both Cardi B and Travis Scott are people of color, but neither is from Atlanta.
Flocka’s logic isn’t an anomaly in the entertainment industry. Bruno Mars took to Twitter in the days following the 2018 Super Bowl and pushed for an Atlanta-focused halftime show.
“You have the opportunity to celebrate incredible Hip Hop Artist from Atlanta next year,” Mars said in a tweet directed at the NFL’s official account. “Outkast. T.I Gucci, lil jon, Jeezy, Jermaine Dupri just to name a few. it would be the best party Tv has ever seen! S*** I just wanna help curate that show, and I’ll only charge like a billion. All jokes aside please lets make that happen.”
Super Bowl LIII will take place on February 3, 2019.
