Rap mogul Jay-Z has chosen himself to serve as the headliner for the Super Bowl LXI halftime show at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, Puck reported early Tuesday.
The decision puts the 56-year-old hip-hop icon in the spotlight of the very production he has supervised for years. Through his entertainment agency, Roc Nation, Jay-Z has operated as the NFL’s live music entertainment strategist since entering an alliance with the league in 2019. That pact, renewed under a five-year extension in 2024, tasked Roc Nation with enhancing in-game entertainment and curating the coveted halftime performance.
Contenders for the Halftime Stage
Before settling on his own catalog, organizers considered several major pop luminaries for the performance, according to media reports. Puck reported that pop stars Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber were regarded as finalists in discussions for the showcase. TMZ previously reported that Bieber and Harry Styles were seen as top contenders within Roc Nation in September.
Representatives for Roc Nation and the NFL did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the selection, Billboard reported Tuesday.
The appearance would mark Jay-Z’s first time performing on the Super Bowl stage during his three-decade career. His wife, Beyoncé, previously headlined the halftime spectacle in New Orleans in 2013 and returned to the field during the 2016 game in Santa Clara alongside Coldplay and Bruno Mars.
A Milestone Year for the Rap Veteran
The reported booking follows a busy 2026 performance schedule for the Brooklyn native, who has been marking the 30th anniversary of his 1996 debut album, “Reasonable Doubt.” His recent live run included an appearance at the Roots Picnic in Philadelphia in May and concerts abroad in London and Paris, where Puck reported he earned $12 million for a single sold-out night.
In July, the 25-time Grammy Award winner held a series of performances at Yankee Stadium that featured guest appearances from Beyoncé, Rihanna, Eminem and Nas. According to Puck, the Yankee Stadium stand grossed more than $42 million. Discrepancies exist across reports regarding the exact number of dates in the New York run, with Billboard describing a trifecta of three appearances and the New York Post citing two sold-out concerts.
The artist also collaborated with producer Rick Rubin on the eight-episode documentary series “JAŸ-Z in 8,” which debuted on HBO Max in September to analyze selections from his extensive catalog. Despite heavy stage activity, he has not issued a solo studio collection since his double-platinum project “4:44” in June 2017. Roc Nation rejected claims circulating in August that an upcoming album had been completed.
What Comes Next
Whether Jay-Z will publicly verify the booking remains unconfirmed. Speculation has centered on his upcoming weekend concerts at SoFi Stadium on Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24, as a potential platform to officially deliver the news to fans in the Los Angeles region.
The scheduled date for Super Bowl LXI also carries slight ambiguity in early accounts. The New York Post reported the contest will take place at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 14, 2027, while Billboard noted the game will occur next year, and Fox News referenced a Feb. 14 date. If the selection is finalized, Jay-Z would become the first rap artist to headline the halftime show since Kendrick Lamar took the stage in 2025.
