The rap icon will perform at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 14, 2027, after years of producing the NFL event through Roc Nation.
Jay-Z will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Feb. 14, 2027, the NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced Monday night. The venue serves as the home stadium for both the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers.
The announcement aired during halftime of the game between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, The Hollywood Reporter reported. Puck first broke the news before the official broadcast reveal, which included a brief promotional video showing Jay-Z surrounded by goats inside SoFi Stadium. In a written statement, Jay-Z reflected on his three-decade career, saying, “Thirty years of music, work, and culture on the world’s biggest stage. This run continues to be a dream come true.”
How the NFL partnership began
The performance marks a shift for the billionaire music mogul, who has helped shape the league’s entertainment roster behind the scenes for years. Roc Nation entered a partnership with the NFL in 2019 to advise on live entertainment, coordinate social activism projects through the Inspire Change initiative, and produce the halftime show. The agreement was renewed in 2024.
When the original deal came together, Jay-Z resisted the idea of headlining the event himself. According to CBS News, he recalled telling NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at the time, “If this is about me performing at the Super Bowl, then we can just end this conversation now.”
Goodell stated that he had maintained an open invitation ever since, asking that Jay-Z take the field whenever the timing felt right. The league’s initial collaboration with Roc Nation followed controversy over the treatment of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who was pushed out of the league after launching protests against racial injustice and police violence. Jay-Z had previously expressed support for Kaepernick, but the two later had a falling out over the rapper’s decision to align with the league.
Born Shawn Carter, Jay-Z has won 25 Grammy Awards across 89 nominations, second only to his wife, Beyoncé, who has headlined two Super Bowl halftime shows. His debut album, “Reasonable Doubt,” joined the Grammy Hall of Fame last year, and he has also been inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
A milestone year on stage
The halftime booking comes as Jay-Z wraps up an extensive series of anniversary performances under the title “Jay-Z 30.” Variety reported that he launched the celebration in late May by headlining the Roots Picnic before selling out three July concerts at Yankee Stadium to mark milestones for his albums “Reasonable Doubt” and “The Blueprint.”
His tour schedule also included stops in Paris and London, where he performed at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Deadline reported. Outside of touring, Jay-Z teamed with producer Rick Rubin for an eight-part documentary series titled “Jay-Z in 8” to analyze key songs from his past catalog.
Just two days before the Super Bowl announcement, Jay-Z finished that run of live dates with a two-night stand at SoFi Stadium. The weekend concerts featured guest appearances by Scarface, DJ Khaled, John Legend, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Too Short and his daughter, Blue Ivy Carter.
Broadcast plans and recent halftime ratings
The 2027 performance will be directed by Hamish Hamilton, with Roc Nation serving as executive producer. The telecast will air on ABC, ESPN and Disney+, along with NFL+ on mobile devices. Spanish-language broadcasts will be carried by ESPN Deportes, Disney+ and Univision.
Jay-Z follows a succession of Roc Nation-curated halftime acts that includes Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, The Weeknd, Rihanna, Usher, Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny. Bad Bunny’s appearance earlier this year drew an average of 128.2 million viewers, outpacing the game itself, and later captured seven Emmy Awards. His catalogue dominated streaming charts the following morning, holding seven of the top eight positions on Spotify’s Top 50 U.S. rankings. Lamar drew 133.5 million viewers in 2025, while Usher set the previous all-time viewership mark in 2024.
