The worst-kept secret in music is out – Jay-Z is set to headline at next year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Jay-Z has been heavily involved in one of the biggest events in the music calendar since 2019, when his entertainment company Roc Nation teamed up with Apple Music to help produce the annual spectacle.
In the years since, the Grammy-winning rapper has been a co-producer and consultant on performances from artists as varied as The Weeknd, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar and, most recently, Bad Bunny.
Rumours began circulating earlier this month that the Empire State Of Mind star had selected himself as this year’s headliner – which was finally confirmed on Monday.
“From Reasonable Doubt to standing on the Super Bowl Halftime stage, this has been a journey,” he 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.”
Per the Los Angeles Times, Harry Styles and Miley Cyrus were among the stars who had been rumoured, before Jay-Z was selected to do the job himself.
Jay-Z’s Super Bowl show news comes after an interesting year for the pioneering rap performer, having returned to live performing over the summer with a series of shows commemorating 30 years since his debut album Reasonable Doubt and 25 years since his landmark release The Blueprint.
Last month, he also appeared in an eight-part documentary, Jay-Z In 8, in which he reflected on his life, career and legacy.
Interestingly, it’s now been over almost a decade since he released his own music, his last solo album being 2017’s 4:44.
A year after that, he and his wife Beyoncé did team up on the collaborative album Everything Is Love, which won the couple both a Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album (a category which has since been renamed to Best Progressive R&B Album) and Brit Award for Best International Group.
Jay-Z’s Super Bowl show will take place on February 14, 2027 at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
