Entertainers address social injustice issues at Super Bowl

Published 6:42 am Saturday, February 2, 2019

ATLANTA — Some entertainers believe social injustice needs to be addressed during the Super Bowl and are ensuring the topic that ignited a political firestorm, engulfing the NFL, will be in the spotlight.

They passionately disagree on how. Some will perform in Super Bowl-related events while others will be noticeably absent.

Former NFL player Colin Kaepernick helped start a wave of protests by kneeling during the national anthem to raise awareness to police brutality, racial inequality and other social issues.

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Jermaine Dupri said he was called a “sellout” for hosting a Super Bowl-related event during a meeting with people who had lost family members as result police brutality.

After the meeting, Dupri and the victims’ family members came to a compromise. The music mogul plans to give mothers a platform to speak onstage during his Super Bowl Live event in Atlanta. He hopes to bridge the gap between speaking out against social injustice and accommodate the NFL during his five-night concert series starting Saturday.

Some of the families were looking to boycott the Super Bowl and initially Dupri’s event in the city that many consider the birthplace of civil rights.

“I met with the families and parents who have been killed and murdered by police officers here,” the 46-year-old longtime Atlanta resident said. “I plan on having them come to my Super Bowl Live event and speak to the crowd and tell their story about police brutality in the city and let people understand that I’m supporting them as much as possible.”

Dupri was initially criticized after he partnered with the Super Bowl host committee to produce a series of free concerts at Centennial Olympic Park, located a couple of blocks from where the Super Bowl will be held at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Super Bowl is one of the world’s biggest sporting events. But some are looking to boycott the big game after the halftime show has been the topic of a heated debate since Kaepernick, who has not been signed by an NFL team, said he would not stand for the national anthem in protest of racial discrimination against blacks in the United States.

Some, including Rihanna and Pink, have reportedly turned down offers to perform during this year’s halftime. Jay-Z alluded to his feelings in a recent song that he declined to perform at the Super Bowl, and Amy Schumer refused to appear in a TV ad during the game.