After years of helping select and produce the Super Bowl halftime show, rapper and music mogul Jay-Z is set to take centre stage for the first time when he headlines the 2027 edition of the global sporting spectacle.
The National Football League, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced on Monday that Jay-Z will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show on February 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The announcement was made during the NFL’s Monday Night Football broadcast featuring the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles.
The performance marks a new chapter in Jay-Z’s relationship with the Super Bowl, having spent years influencing the event’s musical direction through Roc Nation, his entertainment company. Roc Nation partnered with the NFL in 2019 as its live music entertainment strategist and has since helped select performers and produce the halftime show.
Since the partnership began, the halftime stage has featured major artistes including Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, The Weeknd, Rihanna, Usher, Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny. Jay-Z, however, has never headlined the show himself.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he had hoped the rapper would eventually perform at the event, revealing that it was a request he made when the league first partnered with Roc Nation.
“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,” Goodell 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.”
Jay-Z also described the booking as a milestone in his three-decade career. “From Reasonable Doubt to standing on the Super Bowl Halftime stage, this has been a journey,” he 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.”
The announcement comes during a landmark year for the rapper, whose debut album, Reasonable Doubt, marked its 30th anniversary in 2026. He has also celebrated the 25th anniversary of his acclaimed album The Blueprint with a series of concerts, including performances in New York, London, Paris and Los Angeles.
