Jay-Z has been tapped to headline the 2027 Apple Music Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show.
He follows in the footsteps of Grammy-winning artist Bad Bunny, who made his mark during Super Bowl LX earlier this year with his Emmy-winning performance.
The news was announced during halftime of the Cowboys vs. Eagles Monday Night game. “It will be Jay-Z in SoFi on [Valentine’s Day],” ABC commentator Scott Van Pelt said. “We’ll all be looking forward to seeing that.”
“He is the GOAT,” analyst Jason Kelce added. “He’s got more stadium-ready hits than most artists have songs, period. Should be a great show.”
“From Reasonable Doubt to standing on the Super Bowl Halftime stage, this has been a journey,” Jay-Z 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.”
“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,” added NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “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. 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’s impact on global music culture is as profound as it is undeniable,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vp of music and international content, in a statement. “We’ve had the privilege of working closely with him these last few years to bring some of the world’s most exciting and prolific artists to the Super Bowl Halftime Show stage and we are so thrilled that he will be taking that stage himself this year. We know it’s going to be an incredible show.”
Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN Chairman, added: “Jay-Z has been setting a standard of excellence for decades, as an artist, a cultural force and a winner of 25 Grammy Awards. The Super Bowl is already a defining moment in music, and his performance will be the latest milestone in a career synonymous with success. We look forward to showcasing the highly anticipated halftime set in the U.S. and around the world across our platforms, including on ESPN, ABC and Disney+.”
Jay-Z joins a coveted list of artists who have earned the opportunity to headline the NFL’s biggest night, including his wife Beyoncé, Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, Michael Jackson, Rihanna, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross, Katy Perry, The Weeknd, Usher, The Rolling Stones and Bruno Mars, among many others.
The billionaire rap icon already curates the Halftime Show through his company Roc Nation in a deal with the NFL that began in 2019 and was renewed in 2024. Given his close connections with NFL powerbrokers, it was inevitable that Jay-Z would pick himself at some point to headline the marquee event.
Super Bowl LXI will air on ABC and ESPN. The game will take place Sunday, Feb. 14, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, home of the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Back in February, Bad Bunny brought his Latin love to the Super Bowl stage, turning Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, into a big dance party. During his 13-minute set, he performed a wide range of his biggest hits, including “Tití Me Preguntó,” “Eoo,” “BAILE INoLVIDABLE,” “El Apagón,” “CAFé CON RON,” “MONACO,” NUEVAYoL” and “DtMF,” among others.
The Puerto Rican rapper and singer also told a love story throughout the performance, which included several celebrity cameos, and ended with a message of unity and love displayed on the screens inside the stadium, which read, “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
Jay-Z and the NFL first linked up in 2019, in a deal that saw the league and Roc Nation work together on events and social activism. The NFL would consult Roc Nation on its entertainment offerings, including the Super Bowl Halftime Show, and also work with the company “strengthen community through music and the NFL’s Inspire Change initiative.”
The league working with Jay-Z came in the wake of the NFL’s controversial treatment of former San Francisco 49ers player Colin Kaepernick, who was effectively forced out of the NFL for staging protests against police brutality and systemic racism. The legendary rapper initially publicly supported Kaepernick in his fight against the NFL.
But after Jay-Z was brought on board to essentially revitalize the league’s brand that had taken a battering over the Kaepernick affair, the two fell out. “[Jay-Z] has built the alignment with the NFL, the NFL that has blackballed me, the same NFL that, in a players-owners meeting in 2017, said we need a Black face to help us get rid of the protests,” Kaepernick told NBC News in September 2026.
Puck was first to report the news of Jay-Z being named the headliner.
Ryan Gajewski contributed to this story.
