LOS ANGELES — Jay-Z is moving from behind the scenes to the center of the Super Bowl halftime show, taking the stage as its headline performer.
The NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced Monday night that Jay-Z will lead the halftime performance Feb. 14 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
The announcement ends days of speculation and brings Jay-Z back to the same stadium where he wrapped up his “Jay-Z 30” concert series over the weekend. The tour began with three performances at Yankee Stadium in New York, moved to London and concluded in Southern California.
Since 2019, Jay-Z’s Roc Nation has worked with the NFL to advise on and produce the league’s entertainment events, including the Super Bowl halftime show. When the partnership was announced, Jay-Z told NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, “If this is about me performing at the Super Bowl, then we can just end this conversation now.”
Seven years later, he is set to perform after all.
Born Shawn Carter, Jay-Z has earned 25 Grammy Awards from 89 nominations, the second-highest total in history behind his wife, Beyoncé, who has performed at two Super Bowls. His celebrated catalog includes “Reasonable Doubt,” “The Blueprint” and “The Black Album,” along with hits such as “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem),” “99 Problems” and “Empire State of Mind,” his collaboration with Alicia Keys.
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His 1996 debut album, “Reasonable Doubt,” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame last year.
Jay-Z has also built a wide-ranging business career spanning music publishing, artist management and sports. He co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records and launched Roc Nation in 2008, growing it into an entertainment company representing artists and athletes.
In 2017, Jay-Z became the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Four years later, he joined the Rock