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US Politics

NFL names Jay-Z as the Super Bowl halftime performer for 2027

It is his first halftime show, and his company Roc Nation has helped the NFL produce the show since 2019. No guest performers are announced.

7 news outlets reported this
Liberal2 outletsCenter5 outletsConservative0 outletslittle coverage
Published 3 min read
Overview

On Monday night, the NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation named Jay-Z as the halftime act for Super Bowl LXI. The game is set for Feb. 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. It will be his first time performing at a Super Bowl halftime show.

According to The Guardian, Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, is 56. His company, Roc Nation, has worked with the NFL since 2019 and helps produce the show. Forbes reports that this gives him decision-making power over which performers are picked.

In a statement, Jay-Z called the moment a journey and said the run "continues to be a dream come true." NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said his one request when the deal began was that Jay-Z take the stage himself one day. The Guardian and Straight Arrow News add that Jay-Z once told Goodell the talks could end if they were about him performing.

BBC News and Straight Arrow News report that he played two shows at SoFi Stadium the weekend before, part of a tour marking 30 years since his debut album, Reasonable Doubt. Straight Arrow News says no guest performers have been announced.

Three sides of the story

Liberal2 outlets

The Guardian's news report treats the announcement as a career milestone. It quotes Jay-Z and Goodell, recalls that Jay-Z once told Goodell that talks about him performing could end right there, and notes that some observers had doubted he would perform because of his lack of recent hits. It lists his 25 Grammy wins and 89 nominations.

NPR's headline says Jay-Z "picks himself" for the slot, and NPR reports the show is set for Feb. 14 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. A separate Guardian column takes a more critical line. It argues Jay-Z suits a league run by wealthy owners, citing his fortune of about $2.8bn, per Forbes, his 2019 deal with the NFL and his remark that "we've moved past kneeling."

The column also covers his dispute with Colin Kaepernick and sets his story against higher prices and falling enrollment.

Center5 outlets

Straight Arrow News frames the story as a move from producer to performer. It notes that the announcement aired during the Cowboys-Eagles game with a video of Jay-Z among goats, describes his Jay-Z 30 concert run, and lists past halftime acts and guests from his recent shows. It says no guest performers have been announced.

BBC News quotes Jay-Z and Goodell, and carries an NFL statement that guessing about guest stars begins now, with Beyoncé at the top of the list. BBC also says Kendrick Lamar's 2025 show was the most watched halftime show in history. Forbes headlines the news as Jay-Z's company picking Jay-Z and says he holds decision-making authority over who performs.

The Journal's news report notes that Roc Nation, his company, assists the league in booking halftime acts.

Conservative0 outlets

Outlets on the right gave this story little coverage.

All sources: 10 articles from 7 outlets

Liberal (3)

Center (7)

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