Super Bowl half time performers Maroon 5 are potentially bringing out a strange tribute during their show.
Football, Baby
It’s Super Bowl Sunday, leaving the nation divided once again, this time over the Patriots vs. the Rams. Luckily there are excellent snacks to keep things civil.
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Half Time Controversy
Due to the NFL’s treatment of Colin Kaepernick, many musicians are boycotting the event. This made nailing down the half time performer an unusually tricky task. Allegedly, Rihanna, Jay Z, and Cardi B all said no to the gig.
Odd Picks
Eventually, Maroon 5, Travis Scott, and Big Boi were lined up to perform. It is an odd mix for an event as big as the Super Bowl to say the least. The band immediately faced backlash as soon as they signed on.
Response To Criticism
Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine addressed the backlash, claiming that they want to “speak through the music.”
I like to think that people know where I stand as a human being after two decades doing this…I’m not a public speaker. I do speak, but it’s through the music. My life’s work and what I put out into the universe has been positive and hopefully inspiring … So, what I would say is, you know, we are going to do what we keep on doing, hopefully without becoming politicians and continuing to use the one voice we know how to use properly.”
A Bizarre Tribute
While it’s unclear what kind of mention Maroon 5 will make to Kaepernick with their show, it does seem like they will be paying a different, out-of-left-field tribute to the late SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg.
A Weird But Good Thing
After Hillenberg’s death, a Change.org petition for “Sweet Victory” to be performed at the Super Bowl got over a million signatures.
How Will It Go?
The song was performed in a 2001 episode of the classic cartoon when SpongeBob and his fellow residents of Bikini Bottom performed at the “Bubble Bowl” as the Bikini Bottom Super Band.
A tweet from sports journalist Jamal Williams seemed to confirm that this song will indeed play a part in the show.
One For The Millennials
This is definitely a move targeted at millennials, who love nostalgia above all things. Will their love for bizarre cartoons overcome their interest in social justice?
A Strange Unifier
While a Maroon 5 halftime show should just be a performance of “Songs About Jane” from beginning to end, this could be a weird way to save it.
