Rapper Jay-Z will headline the Super Bowl LXI halftime show on Feb. 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, according to ESPN and E! News reports. The announcement was made on Oct. 26, 2026, marking the 25-time Grammy Award winner’s first time performing during the NFL championship game’s intermission.
From Roc Nation Boardroom Backstage to the SoFi Stadium Stage
While Jay-Z has never performed during a Super Bowl halftime show as a lead artist, he has spent years shaping the event behind the scenes. His entertainment company, Roc Nation, has partnered with the NFL since 2019 to select halftime performers and produce the league’s musical lineups. That collaboration has since been extended for an undisclosed duration. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell described the arrangement to Bloomberg in 2024 as mutually beneficial, noting that both sides spend minimal time negotiating contract terms.
A Thirty-Year Journey to the World’s Biggest Entertainment Stage
Born Shawn Carter, the artist reaches this milestone nearly three decades after releasing his debut studio album, Reasonable Doubt, in 1996. In a press release obtained by E! News, Jay-Z reflected on the long trajectory of his career in the music industry. “From Reasonable Doubt to the Super Bowl halftime stage, it’s been a long journey,” he said. “Thirty years of making music, working, and building a culture on the world’s biggest stage. This journey continues to be a dream realized.”
Sharing a Familiar Super Bowl History With Beyoncé
Jay-Z is stepping into a role previously held by his wife, Beyoncé, who headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in 2013 and returned three years later alongside Coldplay and Bruno Mars. When Beyoncé performed in 2016, Jay-Z watched and supported her from the stands. When he takes the field at SoFi Stadium in 2027, it will mark his first on-stage performance since Roc Nation and the NFL launched their entertainment partnership in 2019.
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