The NFL has announced that rapper Jay-Z will take the stage for the Super Bowl half-time show this February.
Since 2019, Jay-Z’s company Roc Nation has produced the half-time show, and he plays a major part in choosing each year’s performer, though he has never before performed at the NFL championship game.
The NFL said in a statement, “Anticipation as to who Jay-Z might have as a guest star at halftime for the big game will now kick off.” “Of course, his wife, Beyoncé, will be atop the list.”
Next year’s Super Bowl LXI is set to take place on 14 February near Los Angeles.
The hip-hop star will follow other recent half-time performers, among them Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, Usher, Rihanna, and The Weeknd.
The musical performance attracts global attention, while tens of millions of people in the US watch the sport itself.
Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 performance became the most-watche Super Bowl half-time show in history and earned the Emmy award for outstanding music direction.
The announcement came after Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, played two shows last weekend at the Los Angeles stadium where the Super Bowl will be held.
The LA shows were part of a tour marking the 30th anniversary of his debut album Reasonable Doubt.
Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, said: “From ‘Reasonable Doubt’ to standing on the Super Bowl halftime stage, this has been a journey.”
“Thirty years of music, work, and culture on the world’s biggest stage. This run continues to be a dream come true.”
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he “couldn’t be more excited for fans around the world to experience the artistry, creativity, and cultural impact he will bring.”
Goodell said: “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 star’s accolades include being the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, 25 Grammy awards, and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.
