One of this generation’s most acclaimed artists and a savvy businessman-rapper/mogul, Sean Carter, better known as Jay-Z, is reportedly set to headline the halftime show at the upcoming Super Bowl.
Jay-Z’s entertainment company, Roc Nation, has chosen the Super Bowl’s halftime performer since making a deal with the NFL in 2019. According to [Puck](https://puck.news/jay-z-picks-jay-z-for-super-bowl-lxi/)‘s Dave Brooks, [via Awful Announcing](https://awfulannouncing.com/nfl/jay-z-super-bowl-lxi-halftime-show.html), the Brooklyn icon selected himself over the likes of Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber to perform at television’s most-watched event.
A long time coming, some fans would say, as the rapper has partnered with Roger Goodell and the NFL for over seven years. The two deepened their business roots in 2024, extending Roc Nation’s curation and production deal.
2026 Super Bowl performer Bad Bunny drew major criticism from a wide range of onlookers, as many believed an international artist could detract from the American fan experience. Despite the hate, the Puerto Rican artist drew 128.2 million U.S. viewers, and his performance won seven Emmys.
Jay-Z has yet to address the report but is due to perform at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, where some speculate he will make a formal announcement.
Global superstar and Jay-Z’s wife, Beyoncé, performed the halftime show at the 2013 Super Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana, and made a guest appearance at Coldplay’s headlining performance during the 2016 Super Bowl in Santa Clara. Unlike her husband, she is no amateur to the lure of February festivities, and with his performance, some can only hope for hers as well. Although Bieber and Cyrus have been denied headlining spots, that doesn’t keep them from being part of the roster of artists to see on stage either.
The 56-year-old rapper is in the middle of his 2026 JAY-Z30 anniversary shows, which have included three sold-out nights at Yankee Stadium in New York and a stop at Stade de France in Paris. If the report is true, Super Bowl LXI will be highly anticipated, as the 25-time Grammy Award-winning artist doesn’t seem to have lost a step.