Jay-Z announced as Super Bowl 2027 halftime headliner, after years choosing the performers

Rapper Jay-Z has been announced as the headline halftime performer for Super Bowl LXI.

Apple Music announced the news alongside Roc Nation on ESPN’s Monday Night Football show which featured the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles, reports People.

Roc Nation also published the announcement on its Instagram page in a video clip showing Jay-Z, who’s label Roc Nation is the NFL’s ‘live entertainment strategist’, sitting in a stadium alongside the caption: ’GOAT’s out of the bag’.

“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.”

Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and Jay-Z formed a partnership with the NFL in 2019, which gave Roc Nation a role in finding the Super Bowl halftime performer and taking part in social justice activities for the Inspire Change initiative.

In contrast to the latest announcement, at the time the rapper is reported to have only agreed to the role if he was in charge of the acts, rather than performing himself.

The Guardian reported him as describing a conversation he said he had in 2019 with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell: "If this is about me performing at the Super Bowl, then we can just end this conversation now."

Under Roc Nation, the halftime shows have featured Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, The Weeknd, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Usher, Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny.”

Halftime producer Jesse Collins told Variety: “It’s a decision that Jay makes.

“Since we’ve been onboard with that show, he’s made it every year, and it’s been amazing. He’s always picked right.”

Just a few weeks before the announcement the rapper released the HBO documentary series JAY-Z in 8 where the star takes fans through his music catalogue.

Jay-Z also performed shows celebrating the 30^th anniversary of his debut studio album Reasonable Doubt and 25^th year since his sixth album, widely regarded as a masterpiece, The Blueprint.

“It was one of those moments where, Reasonable Doubt, I didn’t know the music business. So I didn’t have aspirations of any goals. I was just making music to make music. And then, [In My Lifetime,] Vol. 1, I was trying. Then Vol. 2, I figured out songwriting.”

“The Blueprint was like that moment where I was like, ‘Aw, I’m here. I’ve arrived and I’m here to stay,’” Jay-Z added.

Last February’s Super Bowl halftime was performed by Bad Bunny, earning nine Emmy nominations in July – the most Emmy nominations of any Super Bowl halftime.

The musician’s performance attracted 128.2 million viewers, the history’s fourth most-watched Super Bowl halftime show.

Inglewood, California’s SoFi Stadium is due to host Super Bowl LXI on February 14 next year.