It’s official. After days of rumors, Jay-Z is taking the Super Bowl halftime stage himself.
Apple Music, the NFL and Roc Nation made the announcement on Monday night, Oct. 26, saying the hip-hop star will perform at Super Bowl LXI.
The reveal came during ESPN’s Monday Night Football game and was later shared on social media.
The Super Bowl is set to take place Sunday, Feb. 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. It will mark Jay-Z’s first time as halftime headliner after years of helping to decide which artists would get the coveted slot.
The announcement followed an Oct. 20 report from entertainment outlet Puck, saying the Roc Nation founder had selected himself as the featured performer for the Apple Music Halftime Show.
The outlet wrote: “Ever since the rapper and Roc Nation head signed on to oversee the show in 2019, his own headlining spot has seemed like a certainty. According to sources, 2027 will be that year.”
Puck reported Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber were also considered before a final decision was made.
Jay-Z and Roc Nation’s partnership with the NFL put the hip-hop mogul in a powerful position behind the scenes of the most-watched event each year in the United States. Now, he’ll be the main attraction — along with the two teams that make the final cut.
“From Reasonable Doubt to standing on the Super Bowl Halftime stage, this has been a journey,” Jay-Z said in a statement.
The booking is the latest high-profile gig for the Brooklyn native, who has been celebrating the 30th anniversary of his debut album Reasonable Doubt and the 25th anniversary of The Blueprint, with stadium concerts around the globe.
His catalog gives him plenty of material to choose from, including the iconic “99 Problems.” The 25-time Grammy winner became the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017, and has numerous accolades.
He could bring a few famous friends, or family members to the stage after collaborating with some of the biggest names in music.
Among those collabs were “Run This Town” (with Rihanna and Kanye West), “Drunk in Love” with his wife Beyoncé, the massive rock-rap mashup “Numb/Encore” with Linkin Park, “Excuse Me Miss” with Pharrell, “Suit & Tie” with Justin Timberlake, “Heartbreaker” with Mariah Carey, his signature hit “Empire State of Mind” with Alicia Keys, and more.
Jay-Z will follow Latin hip-hop star Bad Bunny, who headlined the 2026 halftime show.
For fans, the big question is which songs will make the cut and who will join Jay onstage.
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