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Maroon 5 Super Bowl Performance Rumors Stir Controversy

(CNN) -- It hasn't even been officially announced, but that hasn't stopped the "Misery" over Maroon 5 possibly headlining the Super Bowl LIII halftime show in music-rich Atlanta.

Variety reports, citing multiple sources, the band is set to be the big act for the NFL's biggest game, set for February 3.

The NFL released a statement punting on that.

"It's a Super Bowl tradition to speculate about the performers for the Pepsi Halftime Show," a league rep said. "We are continuing to work with (longtime sponsor) Pepsi on our plans but do not have any announcements to make on what will be another epic show."

But it was enough for Twitter to work itself in a tizzy.

People wondered why in Atlanta -- where, to quote uber-producer Jermaine Dupri's song "Welcome to Atlanta," "all the playas play" -- a choice with local ties hadn't been made.

"Atlanta, home of Outkast, T.I., Future, Ludacris, Usher, etc., gets Maroon 5 to play the damn Super Bowl," tweeted sports analyst Jake Reuse.

After all, the ATL is the city that birthed Southern fried hip hop.

One of its most famous ambassadors even had something to say about the reported Maroon 5 choice.

"Excuse me say what!?" rapper and Atlanta native Ludacris wrote in a caption of a photo he posted on Instagram of himself wearing an Atlanta Falcons jersey.

Should we take that to mean: Move Maroon 5, get out da way?

The-CNN-Wire
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