UPDATED: Maroon 5’s long search for a top-name artist to perform with them at the Super Bowl appears to be over: According to a report in TMZ, rapper Travis Scott will perform with the quintet at the big game in Atlanta on Feb. 3. Contacted by Variety, reps for Scott and his management declined to confirm the report, but a source close to the situation said discussions had been taking place between the two acts.
The move makes sense, as both Maroon 5 and Scott are affiliated with the Irving Azoff-helmed Full Stop Management. The report also says that talks are ongoing with Cardi B and Outkast’s Big Boi, as Variety reported last week. An insider tells Variety that Cardi, who is featured on the Maroon 5 hit “Girls Like You,” wants to perform one of her own hits as part of the 13-minute halftime show.
Considering the stylistic gap, to put it mildly, between the music of Maroon 5 and Travis Scott, it seems likely that the rapper will be performing one of his own songs, which may increase the likelihood that Cardi will as well.
Maroon 5 still have not been officially confirmed as the game’s halftime performers, although multiple sources told Variety back in September that they would be the headlining act and no involved parties have denied it. The group has come under intense criticism for taking on the gig, largely because it implies support of the NFL’s stance toward former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who has essentially been drummed out of the league for “taking a knee” as a sign of protest during the National Anthem.
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For weeks, Maroon 5 had been struggling to find a black act to take the stage with them, according to Variety‘s sources, with Cardi B, Outkast, Usher, Lauryn Hill, Nicki Minaj, said to be in talks with the group; Mary J. Blige and Rihanna are said to have declined. The unprecedented delay in announcing a halftime headliner — 2018 Super Bowl performer Justin Timberlake made his announcement last October — is believed to be due to the delay in confirming a second performer.
Scott performs on a song with Migos rapper Quavo called “Huncho Jack” that references Kaepernick: “Take a knee like the ‘Niners (Kaepernick) /Join the team, don’t divide us (join them),” the line goes.
Scott is currently in the midst of a nationwide “Astroworld” tour. Among those in attendance for Wednesday’s L.A. stop at the Forum were Jay-Z — who has spoken in support of Kaepernick many times and calls out the NFL in the song “Apesh–” — and Beyonce, Kanye West and members of Migos; earlier Wednesday, Scott and Kendrick Lamar performed together at the TDE label’s 5th annual holiday toy drive. Scott is currently featured on the cover of Rolling Stone.
While the group and the NFL were said to be seeking an Atlanta-based act and had spoken with the booming label and management company Quality Control, which is based in the city and also consults Cardi B, about assisting with the effort, the Texas-born Scott, whose “Astroworld” is one of the top albums of the year, is probably considered a sufficient coup.
Other acts performing in town during the days leading up to the game include Cardi, Post Malone and Bruno Mars. In addition, local artists like Ludacris and Lil Jon will feature prominently at the Bud Light shows held on the weekend of the game.
Variety will have more on this story as it develops.