M.I.A. has revealed some more details about her legal battle with the NFL following her controversial performance with Madonna at the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show.
During her “Give Me All Your Luvin’” performance alongside the Material Girl and Nicki Minaj, M.I.A. flashed her middle finger at the camera. A month later, the NFL filed a lawsuit against her for $1.5 million (all figures U.S.), claiming the rapper had beached their contract and tarnished the organization’s “goodwill and reputation.” The NFL reportedly added another $15 million to the lawsuit in March of 2014.
“I was at Roc Nation at the time and Jay-Z was managing me,” M.I.A. told Huck. “The lawsuit was so ridiculous, it proposed that they would keep 100 per cent of my earnings for the rest of my life if I ever earned more than $2 million.
“Jay-Z was like, ‘You should sign that s**t,’ and I was like, ‘No,'” she added. “A middle finger, it’s like get a f**king grip. People were like, ‘Oh you’re lucky you’re not in jail, give up all your profit, be this slave for the rest of your life.'”
Later in 2014, M.I.A. reportedly settled with the NFL for an undisclosed amount and terms that have not been made public by either party.
Relive the performance below: