The fallout from the perceived ‘blackballing’ of Colin Kaepernick with the NFL has not seemed to let up, to say the least. At the end of last year, Kaepernick was set up to try out for a number of NFL teams, but through a series of mysterious events and PR ploys on the part of Kaepernick, the NFL withdrew their interest in the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, reigniting the racial tensions between the league and the reasons behind his initial protests in 2016.
The disdain for the NFL has been extrapolated to people choosing to boycott watching the games, but apparently, it’s gone much further than that. The committee responsible for booking talent for the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show has had some difficulties acquiring musical artists as they have chosen to stand in solidarity with Kaepernick. One person who has signed on, though, despite the backlash, is Jennifer Lopez. The Hustlers actress recently addressed the opportunity for her to perform during halftime.
When Lopez signed on to perform at the halftime show in Miami, she immediately faced backlash as someone who is a proponent of racial inequality and police brutality. Despite the personal attacks she has received, Lopez maintains that she has good reasons for deciding to move forward with the once-in-a-lifetime performance opportunity.
Lopez opened up to Vanity on January 14th, sharing her thoughts on what performing at the Super Bowl means for her. “It’s a perfect moment in my life, honestly, but it’s also a great time for a Latina woman to take the stage at the biggest all-American event, with everything that’s going on in the country right now,” she said.
For Lopez, it’s more than just a show. It’s an opportunity to not only encourage and empower women, but also to show love and spread positivity. “I’m super happy to represent my community, to represent women, and to represent everybody, you know? It’s a big platform to bring people together…. It gets a lot of eyeballs,” she continued. “So if you can spread a little bit of love and positivity, and make people know that we’re all in this together? I look at it as a blessing.”
Over the years, the Super Bowl halftime show has been an opportunity to showcase some of the best artists of all time and for J. Lo, it’s a chance that she couldn’t pass up. Speaking to the Chicago Tribune, she reflected on the time that she first saw Diana Ross perform at the halftime show and instantly knew that it would be a dream if she could somehow land a gig like that.
“Ever since I saw Diana Ross fly off into the sky at the Halftime Show, I dreamed of performing at the Super Bowl,” she said in a statement. “And now it’s made even more special not only because it’s the NFL’s 100th anniversary, but also because I am performing with a fellow Latina. I can’t wait to show what us girls can do on the world’s biggest stage.” She won’t be the only Latina performing that night, though.
I just can’t wait for the Halftime time show at the #SuperBowl2020 I mean come on it’s @shakira & @JLo 😱🤤😍
— Carlos E Padilla (@Laliitooo10) January 15, 2020
Shakira, the Colombian bombshell, best known for her hit song “Hips Don’t Lie’, will also be making an appearance during the halftime show at the Super Bowl. And like Lopez, Shakira has also dreamed about one day getting the opportunity to perform on stage at the event, despite the fact that she’s not from the United States.
In January, she sat down with 60 minutes and gave her take on the chance to perform on one of the most-watched television programs in the world. “I think the message [of my performance] is gonna be ‘Listen, I’m a woman. I’m a Latina. It wasn’t easy for me to get to where I am,” she told 60 Minutes in January. “And being at the Super Bowl is proof that everything is possible. That the dreams of a little girl from Barranquilla, Colombia, they were made of something of what dreams are made of and I’m gonna be there, giving it all.”
There will always be people who have a problem with something, which might be truer in our current and modern times than ever before. And you can also bet that people will decide not to watch the Super Bowl as a result of the Colin Kaepernick controversy and their need to express solidarity. Regardless, though, both Jennifer Lopez and Shakira will be on that stage, come halftime, and will certainly put on a performance that will be talked about for years to come.
The #SuperBowl is coming up!
Here's what we're hoping to hear during #JenniferLopez & #Shakira's half-time show performance https://t.co/IXXO1DjPzp
— billboard (@billboard) January 12, 2020
