Travis Scott ultimately agreed to perform at the Super Bowl LIII halftime show on Feb. 3, but he reportedly spoke with former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick beforehand.
The two "had at least one phone conversation" before Scott took the gig, Variety's Jem Aswad reported Tuesday. Although "the two did not necessarily agree, they emerged from the conversation with mutual respect and understanding," a source close to Scott told Aswad.
Scott's presence at the show was first reported last month, but not confirmed until he announced he and the NFL would donate $500,000 to Dream Corps, a nonprofit focused on social justice initiatives. That was not before Scott received intense criticism on social media and elsewhere, largely because of the NFL's treatment of Kaepernick.
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Kaepernick sat, then kneeled, during the playing of the national anthem before games during the 2016 season to protest racial inequality and social injustice. He has not played in a professional football game since Jan. 1, 2017, and has remained unsigned by a team since officially opting out of his contract with the 49ers on March 3 that year. The 31-year-old ultimately filed a collusion grievance against the league, and his hearing reportedly is scheduled for early this year.
Rihanna reportedly turned down and cited Kaepernick's absence from the league, and Cardi B reportedly did the same. Jay-Z tried to convince Scott not to perform, and Scott himself would not until the NFL agreed to donate to Dream Corps, Aswad reported, citing sources. Neither Scott nor Kaepernick commented on Variety's report.
