While 100 million Americans will tune in to the Super Bowl to keep an eye on the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night, many will also be transfixed by the NFL’s half-time music choice in America’s rap, soul, hip-hop and R&B capital: the mainstream California pop-rock band Maroon 5.

In recent decades, Atlanta has churned out a seemingly infinite amount of talent, much of it African American. Ray Charles hails not too far from Atlanta, and his hit song Georgia on my Mind is practically the state song. In the 1990s, Outkast, TLC, Monica, Usher and even John Mayer launched their careers from Atlanta.

Though the NFL formally announced Maroon 5 would headline the half-time show in mid-January, rumors had swirled months before as artists turned down the chance to perform out of solidarity with football player Colin Kaepernick, who took a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality. Rihanna allegedly turned down the gig, followed by Cardi B and Jay-Z. Even Maroon 5 fans started a Change.org petition, with over 100,000 signatures to date, begging the group not to engage with the NFL.

But as the Super Bowl looms, it’s a little more complicated, artists in Atlanta say. Despite the furore, local musicians remain fiercely loyal to those Atlanta artists who have chosen to produce and perform in pre-Super Bowl concerts and the halftime show because they are, some say, creating opportunities for the African American community, even if they are not the headline name.

Black people need to stop being so critical of one another, native Atlantan activist and musician Killer Mike, one-half of the hip-hop duo Run the Jewels, told the Guardian when talking about the criticism some black artists have been getting for participating in the Super Bowl.

Killer Mike is performing in a pre-Super Bowl concert with the Foo Fighters and he said he is looking forward to it.

“I think it’s our job to cooperate internationally to get black people the chances they deserve,” he said.

Another Atlanta native, Gladys Knight, issued a statement to Variety after receiving criticism for agreeing to perform the national anthem, saying: “I’m proud to use my voice to unite and represent our country in my home town of Atlanta.”

The conversation is about representing Atlanta during the Super Bowl, Killer Mike added, but he wants one thing to be clear about the politics of protest that have roiled the NFL.

“I respect Colin Kaepernick. I supported him then [and] I support him now,” he said.

But, he added with a loud laugh, he was also offered an obscene amount of money to play. “I would say it is the same as the people who are going to referee, going to coach, to work in the stadium, who own properties around the stadium that are black-owned.”

He draws the line at calling Maroon 5 his dream act for a Super Bowl in Atlanta, saying: “The greatest cultural export of America right now is hip-hop and R&B. And essentially, [they] are dominated by Atlanta and Atlanta’s sound.” If he had had any say, he would have acts like Outkast, 2 Chainz or 21 Savage on that stage.

He has part of his wish, as the NFL announced Outkast rapper Big Boi, who has been quiet about his involvement since the announcement, would join Travis Scott and Maroon 5 at half-time.

Big Boi of OutKast will perform with Travis Scott and Maroon 5 at the Super Bowl half-time show. Photograph: Chris McKay/Getty Images

Bem Joiner, a well-known advocate for Atlanta’s culture who was involved with the community engagement initiative of the Super Bowl committee, defended the right of Big Boi, and other Atlanta musicians, to want to showcase their talents and Atlanta’s music industry.

In response to some of the criticism of those who have decided to participate in Super Bowl performances, Joiner thinks those critics not from Atlanta just don’t understand what an opportunity like this means to black people in the city.

“You have all of these black people who are not from Atlanta who have things to say about Big Boi. If you’re not from the home of Dr King Jr, you have nothing to say,” he added.

Atlanta music journalist Christina Lee, who has covered the city’s music scene for years, says the NFL just made a safe choice with Maroon 5. “It kind of makes sense if you consider how pop music has looked in the past. Adam Levine is someone my mom knows. He’s on The Voice,” she said.

Lee says that when you look at who is in charge – the NFL – and their desire to defuse the racial arguments that have raged all season, that some form of mainstream act was always likely to headline the event. “Maybe we shouldn’t have been surprised, honestly,” she said.

But Killer Mike just wants the African American community to benefit from having the country’s eyes glued to Atlanta as America’s premier sporting event unfolds within its boundaries – no matter who is on stage.

“Look, if we had had a secret black people meeting and everyone was not showing up for work that day and could totally break the stranglehold of the NFL and we wanted to do that, I would do it,” he said.