After years of producing the Super Bowl halftime show, Jay-Z has announced that the 2027 lead actor will be none other than himself.
After days of speculation, the NFL, Apple Music and Jay-Z’s company, Roc Nation, announced Monday night that the rapper will be the featured performer at the Super Bowl LXI halftime festivities on Feb. 14 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
“From reasonable doubt to Super Bowl halftime, it’s been a journey,” the 56-year-old rapper said in a statement. “Thirty years of music, work and culture on the world’s biggest stage. This run continues to be a dream come true.”
Roc Nation has partnered with the NFL since 2019 to advise and help produce the league’s entertainment presentations, including the Super Bowl halftime show, beginning with Shakira and Jennifer Lopez’s performance at Super Bowl LIV in 2020.
At the time, Jay-Z said he told NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, “If this is about my Super Bowl performance, then we can just end this conversation now.”
Goodell said Monday that the NFL has wanted Jay-Z to perform for years.
“When we made a deal with Roc Nation to produce the show, I only had one request: that Jay-Z take the stage himself one day, whenever the moment seemed appropriate,” he said. “I couldn’t be more excited for fans around the world to experience the artistry, creativity and cultural impact he will bring to the Super Bowl stage.”
Monday’s announcement came a week after Jay-Z was first rumored to be performing, with some observers speculating it was unlikely due to his lack of recent success. Jay-Z’s last solo album, 4:44, was released in 2017, while his last collaborative album was made with his wife, Beyoncé, in 2018, under the name The Carters.
He just wrapped up his Jay-Z 30 concert tour this weekend at SoFi Stadium, after playing several dates in New York and London.
Born Shawn Carter, Jay-Z has won 25 Grammy Awards and received 89 nominations, the second most in history behind his wife, who appeared in two Super Bowls. His catalog includes the albums Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint and The Black Album, as well as hit songs such as Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem), 99 Problems and Empire State of Mind, his collaboration with Alicia Keys.
His debut album, Reasonable Doubt, released in 1996, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame last year.
Jay-Z’s career has spanned music publishing, artist management, and sports. He co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records and founded Roc Nation in 2008, growing it into an entertainment company that works with artists and athletes.
after newsletter promotion
Jay-Z became the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017 and joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.
Bad Bunny performed at last season’s Super Bowl in February, bringing special guests including Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin, Jessica Alba, Karol G, Cardi B, Young Miko and Pedro Pascal.
The Puerto Rican superstar’s songs saw strong growth on streaming charts, playlists and music discovery platforms in the hours following the show.
Past Super Bowl halftime headliners include Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, the Weeknd, Michael Jackson, the Who, Madonna, Coldplay and the Blues Brothers.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Gn usa
