Maroon 5's Adam Levine addresses Super Bowl backlash: 'We expected it'

The controversy surrounding the Super Bowl LIII halftime show didn't come as a surprise to headliners Maroon 5.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine said the group knew they would face criticism for their decision to perform.

"When you look back on every single Super Bowl halftime show, it's this, like, insatiable urge to hate a little bit," he said. "I'm not in the right profession if I can't handle a little bit of controversy. It's what it is. We expected it, we'd like to move on from it, and like I said earlier, speak through the music."

Maroon 5 will be joined by rappers Big Boi and Travis Scott, the latter of whom has also faced criticism for participating in the show. Scott said earlier this month he agreed to perform after the NFL partnered with him to make a donation to Dream Corps, a non-profit organization that advocates for social justice.

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