The moment we’ve all been waiting for is here: the NFL halftime show performer announcement. Jay-Z and his company, Roc Nation, are in charge of selecting the performer, and the rapper has chosen himself.
Jay-Z, a New York native, is bringing East Coast hip-hop to the West Coast.
The 56-year-old will take the Super Bowl LXI halftime stage on February 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The stadium is home to the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers.
The announcement was made across social media with a video. The video was playing “Public Service Announcement” with Jay-Z himself sitting on a stage.
“From Reasonable Doubt to standing on the Super Bowl Halftime stage, this has been a journey,” Jay-Z said, via press release. “Thirty years of music, work, and culture on the world’s biggest stage. This run continues to be a dream come true.”
This marks the first time the rap mogul will perform during the halftime show in any capacity and according to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, it’s been years in the making.
“For several years, we’ve had the privilege of working closely with Jay-Z and Roc Nation, and I’ve seen the extraordinary impact he has had on the Super Bowl Halftime Show,” Goodell said. “When we first reached an agreement with Roc Nation to produce the show, I had just one request: that Jay-Z take the stage himself one day, whenever the moment 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.”
Roc Nation partnered with the NFL in 2019 to produce the halftime show, and since then the 89-time Grammy nominee has been a key decision-maker on who will perform on the biggest stage in football.
The “99 Problems” singer has not announced if he will have any special guests, but since the NFL typically throws in a few surprises for these performances, there is a good chance that pattern will continue. One name that could show up at the Valentine’s Day game is Jay-Z’s Valentine, Beyoncé.
The superstar singer previously performed in two halftime shows. She headlined the 2013 halftime show and performed with 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. On Christmas Day 2024, she took the stage during halftime once again in her home city, for what is commonly referred to as the “Beyonce Bowl.
Beyoncé is no stranger to NFL performances, and considering the two have toured together and have numerous songs, it would make sense.
HOV is currently on the JAŸ-Z30 Tour, celebrating the 30th anniversary of his debut studio album “Reasonable Doubt” and the 25th anniversary of “Blueprint.”
The last time a rapper headlined the halftime show was two years ago when Kendrick Lamar performed and brought out special guest SZA. Other rappers to take the Super Bowl halftime show this decade include Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Lil Jon.
The Super Bowl is historically the most-watched game of the year and the halftime show is historically the most-watched performance of the year. Last year, Bad Bunny was the halftime performer. For a look at every Super Bowl performer in NFL history, click here.
