Jay-Z to headline Super Bowl LXI halftime show at SoFi Stadium

The Super Bowl LXI halftime show will belong to Jay-Z, ESPN announced during Monday night's Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Cowboys game. The NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation also announced the news that evening, and AP News reported the selection independently. The selection was first reported by Puck News last week.

In a statement released by the NFL, Jay-Z 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." Roc Nation will executive produce the show. The company has been the NFL's live music entertainment strategist, and part of that role includes spearheading selection of the halftime performer each year.

In a statement, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that when the league first agreed to work with Roc Nation, his one request was that Jay-Z perform when he felt the moment was right.

AP reported that Jay-Z told Goodell at the time that if the deal was about performing, 'we can just end this conversation now.'

Jay-Z, born Shawn Carter, has not performed at a Super Bowl halftime show before. Beyoncé, his wife, was the headliner for Super Bowl XLVII at the Superdome and later appeared as a guest during Coldplay's set at Super Bowl L in 2016. SoFi Stadium last hosted the Super Bowl in 2022; that halftime included Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and Mary J. Blige.

The rapper closed the 30th anniversary tour for Reasonable Doubt at SoFi Stadium over the weekend. On opening night, his daughter Blue Ivy was on piano for 'The Story of O.J.' and 'Dead Presidents'; Scarface, John Legend and DJ Khaled also joined. Too $hort, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg appeared at Saturday's finale.

The 2027 game will be the first Super Bowl produced by ESPN, and it will air on ESPN, ABC and Disney+.

Last season's halftime performance by Bad Bunny drew 128.2 million viewers, 5.3 million fewer than Kendrick Lamar's record 133.5 million in 2025. Bad Bunny's show won seven Emmys; among the last five halftime shows, four have received Emmy Awards.

Jay-Z has won 25 Grammys and received 89 nominations, second-most in history behind Beyoncé. In 2017, he was the first rapper to enter the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and in 2021 the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted him; he also has four Emmy Awards. His catalog includes The Blueprint, The Black Album, and songs including 'Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem),' the track '99 Problems' and 'Empire State of Mind,' a duet with Alicia Keys. Reasonable Doubt entered the Grammy Hall of Fame last year.