Celebrity3 min(s) read
Super Bowl halftime show performer 'has been decided'
The Super Bowl LXI halftime show performer has reportedly been decided, and it's Jay Z.
According to Puck, the 56-year-old billionaire rapper is set to take the stage at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on February 14, 2027.
Sources told the outlet that Jay Z, whose real name is Shawn Corey Carter, believes he is a more compelling choice than Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber, both of whom were reportedly in talks to perform at the halftime show.
Jay Z is the decision-maker for Super Bowl halftime talent after his entertainment company, Roc Nation, reached an agreement with the NFL in 2019. The deal was extended for another five years in 2024.
The artists he has previously picked for the stage have been Shakira and Jennifer Lopez (2020), The Weeknd (2021), Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar (2022), Rihanna (2023), and Usher (2024).
Lamar took the stage again in 2025, this time to headline and perform his Grammy-winning diss track aimed at Drake, 'Not Like Us'.
In 2026, Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny headlined and made history as the first artist to sing almost entirely in Spanish at the event.
The set featured guest appearances from Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, Pedro Pascal, Cardi B, Jessica Alba, and Karol G.
The performance drew 128.2million views, putting it in fourth place in the all-time rankings, behind Michael Jackson in 1993, Usher in 2024, and Kendrick Lamar last year.
While the 25-time Grammy-winning artist has never performed at the Super Bowl, his wife and mother of his three kids, Beyoncé, headlined the halftime show in 2013.
She also made an appearance during the 2016 Super Bowl alongside Bruno Mars and Coldplay.
Jay Z hasn’t released an album since 4:44 in 2017, although he recently re-released his 'I Just Wanna Love U' single from 2000.
The timing of his headlining couldn’t be more fitting, as he has been marking the 30th anniversary of his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, and the 25th anniversary of The Blueprint.
The 'Run This Town' artist also celebrated the important anniversary milestones with a set at the Roots Picnic in Philadelphia in May.
He has also enjoyed a string of sold-out performances, including three consecutive nights at Yankee Stadium, where he reportedly grossed over $42 million, and sold-out shows in Paris, France, and London, England, last month.
In addition to this, he has been the subject of the HBO series, Jay-Z in 8, which features his '99 Problems' collaborator Rick Rubin.
The pair sat down to talk about several tracks from his discography, from early songs like 'Brooklyn’s Finest' to deeper tracks like 'This Can’t Be Life' with Beanie Sigel and Scarface.
Jay Z has yet to address the report but will perform two shows on Friday and Saturday at SoFi Stadium, where he could announce the news.