LOS ANGELES (AP) — The man who helped produce the Super Bowl halftime show steps into the spotlight: Jay-Z will himself be the headliner of the show.
THE NFLApple Music and Roc Nation announced Monday evening that Jay-Z will be the featured performer at the halftime festivities on February 14 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he had one request when the league first reached an agreement with Roc Nation: that Jay-Z take the stage himself “whenever the time feels right.”
“From ‘reasonable doubt’ to Super Bowl halftime, it’s been a journey,” Jay-Z 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.”
After days of speculationJay-Z is preparing to return to the stadium where he closed his 30th anniversary celebration of “Reasonable Doubt,” the mogul’s 1996 debut album. The concerts included three sold-out shows at Yankee Stadium and sold-out performances in London and Paris before a stop at SoFi Stadium this weekend.
Jay-Z Rock Nation has partnered with the NFL since 2019 to advise and help produce the league’s entertainment presentations, including the Super Bowl halftime show. At the time, Jay-Z said he told Goodell, “If this is about my Super Bowl performance, then we can just end this conversation right now.”
Seven years later, Jay-Z is finally ready to perform on stage.
Jay-Z, born Shawn Carter, has won 25 Grammy Awards and received 89 nominations, the second most in history behind his wife, Beyoncé, who has appeared in two Super Bowls. His catalog also includes the albums “The Blueprint” and “The Black Album” and hit songs such as “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)”, “99 Problems” and “Empire State of Mind”, his collaboration with Alicia Keys.
Last year, “Reasonable Doubt” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
His recent concerts have attracted a rotating cast of guests. At SoFi Stadium, his daughter Blue Ivy played piano on “The Story of OJ” and “Dead Presidents,” while Scarface, John Legend and DJ Khaled joined him on opening night. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Too $hort appeared on Saturday’s finale.
Earlier in the race, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Eminem and Nas were among the guests at Yankee Stadium.
Jay-Z has built a career as an executive and entrepreneur. The Brooklyn rapper co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records and founded Roc Nation in 2008, growing it into an entertainment company that works with artists and athletes.
Jay-Z became the first rapper inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017 and joined the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021. He is also a four-time Emmy winner.
Roc Nation will produce the halftime show, under the direction of Hamish Hamilton.
The halftime show has garnered Emmys in recent years. Bad Bunny’s performance in February, it won a record seven, including best variety special (live), while last year Kendrick Lamar’s show won for music direction.
___
See the AP’s full NFL coverage here
Gn entert
