Jay-Z to Headline Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show at SoFi Stadium
Z will headline the Super Bowl LXI halftime show at SoFi Stadium in California, stepping onto the stage after years helping produce the NFL’s entertainment…
LOS ANGELES — Jay-Z will headline the Super Bowl LXI halftime show at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on February 14, the NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced. It will be his first performance at the NFL championship game after years helping produce its halftime entertainment.
The producer is taking the stage. Jay-Z said the moment connects his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, with the upcoming show.
“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.”
From producer to headliner
Jay-Z’s company, Roc Nation, has partnered with the NFL since 2019 to advise on and help produce the league’s entertainment presentations, including the halftime show. The announcement makes him the featured performer for the upcoming edition, though the BBC reported that the NFL did not specify whether he would be the only headliner.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he had asked for Jay-Z to perform when the league first reached an agreement with Roc Nation. “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.
Goodell added that he was excited for fans around the world to experience the artistry, creativity and cultural impact Jay-Z would bring to the stage. The NFL’s announcement also prompted attention to possible guest performers. In its statement, the league said, “Anticipation as to who Jay-Z might have guest star at halftime for the big game will now kick off.” It added: “Of course, his wife, Beyoncé, will be atop the list.” No guest performers were confirmed in the announcement.
For the audience, the change is clear: the artist who has helped shape the halftime production will now be its featured performer. Roc Nation will executive produce the show, and Hamish Hamilton will direct it. The announcement identifies Jay-Z as the headliner, but leaves open whether other artists will join him.
‘The moment felt right’
The decision marks a shift from Jay-Z’s earlier position. The Guardian reported that, when Roc Nation’s partnership with the NFL began, he told Goodell: “If this is about me performing at the Super Bowl, then we can just end this conversation now.” Goodell’s account of his request suggests the league left the timing to the rapper.
The announcement followed Jay-Z’s recent performances at SoFi Stadium, where he closed a run celebrating the 30th anniversary of Reasonable Doubt. ESPN reported that the concerts included three sold-out shows at Yankee Stadium and sold-out performances in London and Paris before the SoFi Stadium stop. The concerts brought him back to the venue that will host the Super Bowl.
Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, has built a career across music and entertainment. ESPN reported that he has won 25 Grammy Awards and received 89 nominations. His catalogue includes The Blueprint and The Black Album, along with “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem),” “99 Problems” and “Empire State of Mind,” his collaboration with Alicia Keys.
Roc Nation will produce the halftime show, with Hamilton directing, as Jay-Z prepares to move from behind the production to the center of the stage. “This run continues to be a dream come true,” he said.
Source: bbc.co.uk
