Rihanna Shares Why She Decided To Perform At The Super Bowl After Previously Turning Down The Gig To Stand In Solidarity w/ Colin Kaepernick: Representing The Urban Community, Globally, It’s Powerful

Rihanna, Colin Kaepernick

Rihanna Shares Why She Decided To Perform At The Super Bowl After Previously Turning Down The Gig To Stand In Solidarity w/ Colin Kaepernick: Representing The Urban Community, Globally, It’s Powerful

Rihanna definitely made her mark as the headliner for this year’s Super Bowl halftime show.

As previously reported, over the weekend Rihanna had the nation’s attention as she took the stage in an all-red outfit for Super Bowl LVII. During the 13-minute performance, Rihanna gave fans a rundown of many of her hits, including; “B— Better Have My Money,” “Where Have You Been,” “We Found Love,” and “Rude Boy.” Following the viral-halftime show, she confirmed that she’s pregnant and is expecting her second child with boyfriend A$AP Rocky.

Even though this was the nine-time Grammy Award-winner’s first time taking her talents to the biggest NFL sporting event, reportedly, the league has been trying to get her to perform during the halftime show for years. In 2018 when they asked, Rihanna turned down the gig to show solidarity with Colin Kaepernick. As you may recall, in 2016 the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback took a knee while the national anthem played to peacefully protest racial injustice and police brutality occurring in America.

Colin Kaepernick

Rihanna previously shared why she declined the 2018 halftime offer and said,

“I just couldn’t be a sellout.”

She added,

“There’s things within that organization that I do not agree with at all, and I was not about to go and be of service to them in any way.”

During a recently released interview, the “Kiss It” singer revealed why she had a change of mind and gave the NFL the greenlight to add her to its Super Bowl halftime roster. She said,

“There’s still a lot of mending to be done in my eyes, but it’s powerful to break those doors, and have representation at such a high, high level and a consistent level.”

She continued and noted how iconic it is for the urban community to have “two Super Bowls back-to-back.” Rihanna’s recent performance follows last year’s headliners, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J Blige, and Kendrick Lamar.

Rihanna said,

“you know, representing the urban community, globally. It is powerful. It sends a really strong message.”

The businesswoman then expressed how being a mom to a Black son weighed in on her decision to perform on Feb. 12. She continued,

“Of course, raising a young Black man is one of the scariest responsibilities in life. You’re like, ‘What am I leaving my kids to? This is the planet they’re gonna be living on?’”

She added,

“All of those things really start to hit differently.”

According to Rihanna, motherhood has helped her realize that she can do anything.

“It’s this knowing that you can do anything, even things that seem the craziest, like, ‘I’m going to say yes to the Super Bowl in the middle of postpartum?’”

She added,

“What the heck am I thinking? But you’re geeked on a challenge like that because you know what your body just did. You feel this sense of ‘Nothing is impossible.’”

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s son

What are your thoughts on this entire situation? Who would you like to see perform during the Super Bowl next year? Tell us in the comments below!  

[VIA]