Washington

Before the Chiefs’ game against the Ravens, the black national anthem was sung, which sparked strong reactions

Madoc Meredith September 6, 2024

Grammy-winning artist Tasha Cobbs Leonard was selected to sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at Arrowhead Stadium Thursday night before the Kansas City Chiefs play the Baltimore Ravens.

Cobbs Leonard won the 2014 Grammy Award for Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance and has received three Billboard Music Awards throughout her career.

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Tasha Cobbs Leonard performs on the Vibes Stage during day four of CMA Fest in Nashville, Tennessee on Sunday, June 11, 2023. (Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK)

The announcement that the song would be played before the start of the game drew the same criticism as in the past. NFL teams began playing the song, also known as the Black national anthem, in 2020, after a summer of racial unrest resulting from the killing of George Floyd.

The song has been played before the Super Bowl every year since then. Reactions online have been fierce in both directions. Fans have regularly spoken out about the song being played, while other fans have criticized them for not standing up during the game.

It was similar on Thursday.

(Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)

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Cobbs Leonard implored her fans to watch her performance because “we celebrate the unity, the culture and the thrill of the game.”

“I’m so excited to kick off the NFL season with a powerful live performance of ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ at the Chiefs game against the Ravens in Kansas City! It’s going to be a night to remember – football, music and an electric atmosphere,” she wrote on Instagram.

Coco Jones will sing the national anthem at the game. The R&B singer won a Grammy Award this year for best R&B performance.