Jay-Z trades Roc Nation's behind-the-scenes role for 2027 Super Bowl stage

Jay-Z will headline the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced the decision Monday night, bringing the rapper to the stage for the first time in seven years.

The announcement followed a promotional video showing the artist seated in the stadium surrounded by goats, accompanied by the caption "GOAT's out of bag." This confirms his return to the venue where he concluded his "Jay-Z 30" concert tour over the weekend. That tour began with three shows at Yankee Stadium in New York, moved to London, and finished in Southern California.

For nearly a decade, Jay-Z has operated behind the scenes for the event. His company, Roc Nation, has partnered with the NFL since 2019 to advise on and produce the league's entertainment presentations. In 2019, the rapper told NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, "If this is about me performing at the Super Bowl, then we can just end this conversation now." Monday's announcement reverses that position.

Born Shawn Carter, the musician has won 25 Grammy Awards and received 89 nominations, the second-most in history behind his wife, Beyoncé. His discography includes "Reasonable Doubt," "The Blueprint" and "The Black Album," as well as hits like "99 Problems" and "Empire State of Mind." His 1996 debut album, "Reasonable Doubt," was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame last year.

Beyond recording, Carter has expanded his career into music publishing, artist management and sports. He co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records and established Roc Nation in 2008, which now represents artists and athletes. He became the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017 and joined the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021.

He joins a list of recent headliners that includes Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd. Beyoncé has performed at two Super Bowls. The last performer, Bad Bunny, saw sharp gains across streaming platforms in the hours after his set. The next morning, the Puerto Rican artist held the top six spots on Spotify's Top 50 U.S. chart, with another song ranking at No. 8.