Jay-Z to headline Super Bowl LXI halftime show in Los Angeles

Jay-Z will headline the halftime show at Super Bowl LXI next February, becoming the first performer announced for the event at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles, according to the NFL and BBC. The rapper, whose real name is Shawn Carter, has not previously performed at the NFL championship game. His company, Roc Nation, has produced the halftime show since 2019 and has played a role in selecting performers for the annual event.

The game and halftime performance are scheduled for 14 February. Jay-Z’s appearance follows recent headline acts including Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, Usher, Rihanna and The Weeknd. The NFL said the announcement would prompt speculation over which guest performers might join him.

The organization specifically mentioned Beyoncé, Jay-Z’s wife, as likely to attract attention, although no guest appearances were confirmed in the supplied reports. Jay-Z recently performed two shows at the Los Angeles stadium as part of a tour marking the 30th anniversary of his debut album, “Reasonable Doubt.” The performances preceded the announcement that he would return to the venue for the Super Bowl halftime stage. “From ‘Reasonable Doubt’ to standing on the Super Bowl halftime stage, this has been a journey,” Jay-Z said in a statement carried by the BBC.

He described the occasion as the continuation of a dream involving three decades of music, work and culture. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he was excited for audiences around the world to experience Jay-Z’s artistry and cultural influence. Goodell also said that when the league first agreed with Roc Nation to produce the show, he had asked that Jay-Z eventually perform himself.

Jay-Z’s career distinctions include becoming the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, winning 25 Grammy awards and entering the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021. The halftime show has become a major global entertainment event alongside the game. The BBC reported that Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 performance was the most watched Super Bowl halftime show in history and won the Emmy for outstanding music direction.

The supplied reports differ in emphasis over the announcement: an Associated Press headline says Jay-Z “picks himself” to headline, while the BBC describes the NFL as announcing his performance. The available material supports that Jay-Z will perform and that Roc Nation has helped produce and select acts, but it does not establish that he personally made the final booking decision.