December 22, 2018 12:11 pm
Cardi B has turned down an invitation to perform at the Super Bowl LIII halftime show, unless they 'roll out the red carpet' for her.
The rapper has been repeatedly asked to join headliners Maroon 5 to perform their recent No. 1 hit 'Girls Like You', on which she features, according to Page Six on Saturday.
The Bodak Yellow star has reportedly demanded a fee of up to $1 million, plus a solo spot in the epic halftime show in Atlanta on February 5, according to the publication.
A source close to the negotiations told them: 'Cardi B is standing tough and holding out. She doesn’t want to do it unless they roll out the red carpet for her.'
Artists are not paid for the halftime show, but are given a 'gift in kind' by the NFL to cover expenses such as production, transport and wardrobe.
The Grammy-nominated artist - who was spotted enjoying a vacation with her estranged husband Offset in Puerto Rico on Friday - had said earlier this year that if the NFL asked her to perform, she would only do so 'when they hire Colin Kaepernick back.'
The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback started the #TakeAKnee movement to protest racial injustice, and other artists, including Rihanna, have boycotted the NFL over its treatment of players who kneel during the national anthem.
A representative for Cardi B told Page Six: 'The rumor circulating that she wants a million dollars and she wants her own set is false.
'There was never a firm offer to begin with for a performance. There [were] talks about it, but she was not particularly interested in participating because of how she feels about Colin Kaepernick and the whole movement
'But again, there was never a solid offer for her to say yes or no to regarding the Super Bowl. She is already confirmed to do a set with Bruno Mars that weekend.'
The Super Bowl itself is typically the most-watched event on television in the United States annually, with Lady Gaga's half-time performance at Superbowl LI in 2017 becoming the 'most-watched musical event of all-time,' with 150 million viewers.
Justin Timberlake performed at last year's event, in Minnesota, watched by by 106.6 million television viewers in the United States, more than for the game itself.