Jay-Z Will Headline Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show Himself

Jay-Z has been named the headliner of the Super Bowl LXI halftime show, and the choice was his own. The rapper and his company, Roc Nation, are responsible for selecting the performer, and he put himself in the spotlight.

The 56-year-old New York native will perform on February 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, the home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers. The event will bring East Coast hip-hop to the West Coast.

News of the booking arrived on social media in a video set to "Public Service Announcement," showing Jay-Z seated on a stage. A press release accompanied the reveal.

"From Reasonable Doubt to standing on the Super Bowl Halftime stage, this has been a journey," Jay-Z said in the release. "Thirty years of music, work, and culture on the world's biggest stage. This run continues to be a dream come true."

It will be the first time the rap mogul performs at the halftime show in any capacity. According to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, the moment has been years in the making. Goodell said the league has worked closely with Jay-Z and Roc Nation for several years and has seen the "extraordinary impact he has had on the Super Bowl Halftime Show."

Goodell added that when the NFL first reached an agreement with Roc Nation to produce the show, he made one request: that Jay-Z take the stage himself one day, whenever the timing felt right to him. "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," Goodell said.

Roc Nation partnered with the NFL in 2019 to produce the halftime show. Since then, the 89-time Grammy nominee has been a key decision-maker on who performs at one of football's biggest events.

Jay-Z has not said whether any special guests will join him. The NFL often includes surprises in these performances, and one possible name is Beyoncé. She headlined the 2013 halftime show and performed alongside Coldplay and Bruno Mars at halftime in 2016. She also sang the national anthem at Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2001 in her hometown of Houston, and took the stage at halftime in Houston again on Christmas Day 2024, in a show commonly called the "Beyonce Bowl." The couple have toured together and share numerous songs.

Jay-Z is currently on the JAŸ-Z30 Tour, which celebrates the 30th anniversary of his debut studio album "Reasonable Doubt" and the 25th anniversary of "Blueprint." The last rapper to headline the halftime show was Kendrick Lamar two years ago, who brought out SZA as a special guest. Other rappers to perform at the show this decade include Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Lil Jon. Last year's performer was Bad Bunny.