Jay-Z Officially Set To Headline Super Bowl Halftime Show, Despite Critics

Jay-Z confirmed that he will headline the Super Bowl halftime show on February 14 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The NFL, Apple Music, and Roc Nation made the announcement Monday night. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he had asked Jay-Z to take the stage “whenever the moment felt right to him.” “Thirty years of music, work, and culture on the world’s biggest stage. This run continues to be a dream come true,” Jay-Z said in a statement. His selection has drawn criticism, including from peers including Cam’Ron and Ma$e. But defenders point to Jay-Z’s decades-long catalog, stadium-level performance experience, and his recent Jay-Z 30 tour, which included three consecutive Yankee Stadium shows. Rolling Stone notes he also performed at SoFi Stadium — the 2027 Super Bowl venue — just weeks before the announcement.