One of the NFL's biggest announcements every year is who the league taps to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show, teaming up with Jay-Z to choose an artist. This year, Jay-Z might have chosen himself.
Multiple reports say that Jay-Z will be the artist headlining the Super Bowl 61 halftime show in February. The 56-year-old rapper may not have recently released music, but he is one of the most popular and famous rappers of all time and comes with all kinds of music connections.
If true, the choice continues a trend of incredibly popular artists, as Jay-Z would follow the previous two performers, Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny. This would also mean that Jay-Z gets his own show 14 years after his wife, Beyoncé, headlined the Super Bowl halftime show.
Here's what we know so far about Jay-Z's halftime show rumors.
Is Jay-Z performing the Super Bowl halftime show?
Dave Brooks of Puck News first reported that Jay-Z will be this year's Super Bowl halftime show performer in SoFi Stadium. Even though Jay-Z has helped the league choose the halftime show performer since the 2019 season, the rapper has never headlined the halftime show himself.
That news is not yet official, but Jay-Z's prior connection to the NFL means it was probably only a matter of time before he performed at halftime of the Super Bowl. It appears that Super Bowl 61 in Inglewood will be that time.
Why Jay-Z picks Super Bowl halftime show
In 2019, the NFL gave Jay-Z and Roc Nation final say in helping choose the Super Bowl halftime show performer each season, giving Jay-Z the title of "live music entertainment strategist."
At the time, some artists were avoiding the NFL as they sided with Colin Kaepernick in the former quarterback's pursuit to return to football. The league then decided it needed a respected name within the music industry to help convince the best artists in the world to do the show, leading to the following halftime shows:
- 2020: Jennifer Lopez and Shakira
- 2021: The Weeknd
- 2022: Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, Anderson .Paak
- 2023: Rihanna
- 2024: Usher
- 2025: Kendrick Lamar
- 2026: Bad Bunny
"The NFL has a great big platform, and it has to be all-inclusive," Jay-Z said in 2019. "They were willing to do some things, to make some changes, that we can do some good."
Music producer Jesse Collins explained in 2023 that Jay-Z has complete control and final say over choosing the halftime show act.
"It's a decision that Jay makes," Collins told Variety. "Since we've been on board with that show, he's made it every year, and it's been amazing. He's always picked right!"
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