Rapper Jay-Z will perform at the Super Bowl half-time show in February, the NFL has announced.
Jay-Z’s company Roc Nation has produced the half-time show since 2019, and he plays a key role in selecting each year’s performer but he has not performed before at the NFL championship game.
“Anticipation as to who Jay-Z might have guest star at halftime for the big game will now kick off,” the NFL said in a statement. “Of course, his wife, Beyoncé, will be atop the list.”
Next year’s Super Bowl LXI will take place on 14 February near Los Angeles.
The hip-hop star will follow in the footsteps of other recent half-time performers including Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, Usher, Rihanna and The Weeknd.
The musical performance draws global attention while the sport is watched by tens of millions of people in the US.
Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 performance was the most watched Super Bowl half-time show in history and won the Emmy award for outstanding music direction.
The announcement was made after Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, performed two shows last weekend at the Los Angeles stadium where the Super Bowl will be played.
The LA shows were part of a tour to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his debut album Reasonable Doubt.
“From ‘Reasonable Doubt’ to standing on the Super Bowl halftime stage, this has been a journey,” said Jay-Z.
“Thirty years of music, work, and culture on the world’s biggest stage. This run continues to be a dream come true.”
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he “couldn’t be more excited for fans around the world to experience the artistry, creativity and cultural impact he will bring”.
“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.
The star’s accolades include being the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, 25 Grammy awards and being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.
By BBC News
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