Less than 48 hours after walking off stage at L.A.’s Sofi Stadium this weekend, Jay Z has made it official. The hip hop icon and Roc Nation founder has picked himself to headline the Super Bowl LXI halftime show in the City of Angels.
“From Reasonable Doubt to standing on the Super Bowl Halftime stage, this has been a journey,” the Hard Knock Life rapper stated today, almost a week after Deadline confirmed his role in the February 14 big game at the aforementioned SoFi. Thirty years of music, work, and culture on the world’s biggest stage. This run continues to be a dream come true.”
Halftime show sponsor Apple Music posted a to the point video on social media casting the doubters aside.
After dancing around the unveiling for several days, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell came clean too tonight.
Following in the Roc Nation picked halftime footsteps of Dr. Dre, Eminem, May J Blige, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg in 2022, Rihanna in 2023, Usher in 2024, the great (and Drake beefing) Kendrick in 2025, and the show stopping Bad Bunny in 2026, the league boss had nothing but praise for the man born Shawn Carter: “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 declared Monday
“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,” the Commissioner went on to say, with no small amount of hyperbole. “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.”
Now with the marquee act all settled, the real question is who Jay Z’s guest stars will be.
If for nothing more than the inclusion of their mega #1 hit Crazy in Love, it seems obvious that Beyoncé will join her spouse for a tune or two.
Other possible collaborators that look hot are the Roots, who Jay Z was on stage with at the band’s Roots Picnic in Philadelphia this past summer. Nas and Pharrell Williams were part of Jay Z’s NYC shows earlier this year and Dre and Snoop were there at SoFi this past weekend. Add to that, Jay Z’s London gigs atTottenham Hotspur Stadium featured a mini-Fugees reunion with Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean.
Put bluntly, Jay Z may or may not have 99 Problems, but the ESPN and Disney+ shown Super Bowl LXI ain’t one.
