Black national anthem before Chiefs-Ravens game sparks strong reaction

Grammy Award-winning artist Tasha Cobbs Leonard was selected to perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night before the Kansas City Chiefs’ game against the Baltimore Ravens.

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

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

The announcement of the song’s pregame performance drew the same kind of attention it has in years past. NFL teams began playing the song, also known as the Black national anthem, in 2020 after a summer of racial unrest following the killing of George Floyd.

The song has been performed every year since before the Super Bowl. Online reactions have been harsh on both sides. Fans have regularly decried the song’s airing, while some have criticized fans for not standing up during the moment.

On Thursday it was the same again.

(Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)

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Cobbs Leonard implored his fans to listen to his performance as “we celebrate unity, culture and the thrill of the game.”

“I am beyond excited to kick off the NFL season with a powerful live performance of ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ at the Chiefs vs. Ravens game in Kansas City! It’s going to be an unforgettable night of 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.