Jay-Z will headline the Super Bowl LXI halftime show at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on 14 February 2027, according to The Guardian. The NFL, Apple Music and his entertainment company Roc Nation confirmed the booking on Monday night, ending days of speculation about who would take the stage.
The announcement marks a shift for the rapper, who has spent years helping to shape the league's halftime productions rather than performing in them. In a statement quoted by The Guardian, the 56-year-old said his career had come full circle: "From Reasonable Doubt to standing on the Super Bowl Halftime stage, this has been a journey. Thirty years of music, work, and culture on the world's biggest stage. This run continues to be a dream come true."
Why it matters
Roc Nation has advised the NFL on its entertainment programming since 2019, a partnership that began with Shakira and Jennifer Lopez topping the bill at Super Bowl LIV in 2020. Jay-Z's move from behind the scenes to centre stage makes him the first person to have shaped the show as a producer and then fronted it.
The booking also lands at a notable point in his recording career. As The Guardian notes, his most recent solo album, 4:44, arrived in 2017, and his last joint project was 2018's Everything Is Love with his wife Beyoncé, released under the name the Carters. Some observers had questioned whether a performer without recent hits would take the slot, reports said. The announcement put that speculation to rest.
A career that reaches beyond the mic
Born Shawn Carter, Jay-Z has collected 25 Grammy awards from 89 nominations, the second-highest nomination count on record behind Beyoncé, who has headlined two Super Bowl shows. His discography includes Reasonable Doubt, The Blueprint and The Black Album, along with singles such as Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem), 99 Problems and Empire State of Mind, his collaboration with Alicia Keys. His 1996 debut was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame last year.
His influence extends well past recording. He co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records and launched Roc Nation in 2008, growing it into an entertainment company representing musicians and athletes. In 2017 he became the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and he entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.
The timing follows a busy stretch on the road. Jay-Z wrapped his Jay-Z 30 concert tour at SoFi Stadium over the weekend, after dates in New York and London — meaning he will return to the same venue for the halftime set.
The slot he once waved away
When Roc Nation first teamed up with the NFL, Jay-Z made clear that performing was not part of the plan. He recalled telling commissioner Roger Goodell, per The Guardian: "If this is about me performing at the Super Bowl, then we can just end this conversation now." Seven years later, that conversation has reopened on his own terms.
He inherits a stage recently occupied by Bad Bunny, whose February set featured guests including Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin, Karol G, Cardi B, Young Miko, Jessica Alba and Pedro Pascal. The Puerto Rican artist's catalogue saw sharp jumps on streaming charts, playlists and music discovery platforms in the hours after the broadcast. Past headliners include Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, the Weeknd, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Coldplay, the Who and the Blues Brothers.
Watch for the full lineup of guest performers and the production details, which Roc Nation and the NFL have yet to disclose ahead of the 14 February show.
