In an announcement that connects three decades of hip-hop history with the premier stage in sports entertainment, rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z will perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in February, the National Football League has announced. The performance, set for Super Bowl LXI on 14 February near Los Angeles, represents a major turning point for the artist, who has spent the past several years directing the presentation of the mid-game concert from behind the scenes.
Although Shawn Carter, professionally known as Jay-Z, has served as a primary architect of the annual halftime performance since 2019, he has never before taken the stage as a performer during the NFL championship game. His entertainment and management company, Roc Nation, entered into a strategic partnership with the NFL five years ago to produce the halftime show. In that executive role, Carter has played a decisive part in evaluating, selecting, and curating each year’s musical lineup. Despite guiding the creative direction of one of the world’s most heavily watched televised events, he had previously refrained from stepping into the spotlight himself.
The official news that Carter will move from executive producer to headlining artist has immediately triggered broad speculation regarding how his live set will be constructed. Given his extensive catalog of collaborative tracks and deep professional connections throughout the music industry, public interest regarding potential guest appearances began building as soon as the league confirmed his participation.
The National Football League explicitly acknowledged this surrounding excitement in its announcement, anticipating intense interest from fans and media outlets worldwide. "Anticipation as to who Jay-Z might have guest star at halftime for the big game will now kick off," the NFL stated. The league further highlighted the most prominent potential appearance, noting, "Of course, his wife, Beyoncé, will be atop the list." The inclusion of potential guest performers adds another layer of focus to a broadcast that routinely commands major international viewership.
The timing of the NFL’s announcement aligns closely with Carter’s ongoing live performance schedule. The official confirmation was delivered shortly after Jay-Z completed two stadium shows last weekend in the Los Angeles area. Those concerts took place at the very same Los Angeles stadium that is scheduled to host Super Bowl LXI on 14 February.
The recent Los Angeles concerts formed part of a commemorative tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of Carter’s landmark debut studio album, Reasonable Doubt. First released three decades ago, the album launched Carter’s career as a solo recording artist and established the foundation for his long-term influence within the music industry. The trajectory from that initial release to headlining the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show highlights a thirty-year progression from critically acclaimed debut artist to global executive and performer.
Reflecting on the milestone of taking the field at the Super Bowl three decades after his career began, Carter described the upcoming performance as a natural continuation of his life’s work. "From ‘Reasonable Doubt’ to standing on the Super Bowl halftime stage, this has been a journey," said Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter. "Thirty years of music, work, and culture on the world’s biggest stage. This run continues to be a dream come true."
The decision for Carter to headline the halftime event also fulfills an objective long held by the leadership of the National Football League. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell issued a statement expressing strong support for Carter’s transition to the halftime stage, praising both his artistic legacy and his ongoing influence on contemporary culture.
Goodell emphasized his enthusiasm for the upcoming event, stating that he "couldn’t be more excited for fans around the world to experience the artistry, creativity and cultural impact he will bring" to the broadcast in February.
The commissioner also reflected on the initial negotiations that brought Roc Nation into partnership with the league in 2019, revealing that he had envisioned Carter eventually taking the stage himself from the very beginning of their professional arrangement. "When we first reached an agreement with Roc Nation to produce the show, I had just one request: that Jay-Z take the stage himself one day, whenever the moment felt right to him," Goodell said.
Carter arrives at the Super Bowl stage backed by an exceptional collection of industry honors accumulated across his thirty-year career. His accolades include becoming the first rapper ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a landmark achievement that formally recognized his lyrical output and composition skills within the wider institution of American songwriting.
In addition to his induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Carter has earned 25 Grammy Awards, placing him among the most celebrated recording artists in the history of the Recording Academy. His formal standing in popular music history was further cemented in 2021, when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
By taking the stage at Super Bowl LXI, Carter joins a prominent line of contemporary recording artists who have delivered halftime performances in recent years. Recent halftime show headliners include Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, Usher, Rihanna, and The Weeknd. Each of these artists played a distinct role in defining the modern format of the halftime show during the era of Roc Nation’s production partnership with the league.
The Super Bowl halftime show remains one of the premier platforms in global broadcast media. While the championship football game itself is watched by tens of millions of sports fans across the United States, the musical presentation organized during the game’s extended intermission consistently draws global attention, reaching vast audiences across international markets.
Carter’s upcoming performance follows directly on the heels of a record-breaking production at the previous championship game. Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 halftime show performance achieved unprecedented viewership, establishing itself as the most watched Super Bowl halftime show in history. In addition to setting broadcast viewership records worldwide, Lamar’s 2025 performance achieved major critical success, winning the Emmy Award for outstanding music direction.
The critical and commercial success of Lamar’s 2025 performance set a high benchmark for future halftime productions. Operating within this environment of massive global viewership and high artistic expectations, Carter’s upcoming performance near Los Angeles will merge his executive perspective as a producer with his personal catalog as a performing artist.
As preparations continue for Super Bowl LXI on 14 February near Los Angeles, attention will remain fixed on how Carter designs his set, coordinates potential guest appearances, and marks thirty years of musical work on the sport’s largest stage. Having spent years guiding other headlining acts through the logistical and creative demands of the event, Jay-Z now prepares to take center stage himself.