Jay-Z has spent part of his $2.8-billion personal valuation helping to rehabilitate the Super Bowl halftime show’s reputation since 2019. Now, he is taking the stage himself.
On Monday, the NFL officially announced that the multiple-time Grammy-winning rapper would be headlining the Super Bowl LXI halftime show. In a statement, he said:
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“From Reasonable Doubt to standing on the Super Bowl Halftime stage, this has been a journey. Thirty years of music, work, and culture on the world’s biggest stage. This run continues to be a dream come true.”
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Reacting to the selection on social media, Jason Whitlock objected to it:
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“Jay-Z is a former drug dealer that raps profanity and threw parties with Diddy, and now he’s the Super Bowl halftime performer? What are we doing?”
Incidentally, Super Bowl LXI will be held at SoFi Stadium, where Jay-Z recently concluded the 30th anniversary tour of his 1996 debut studio album “Reasonable Doubt”.
Other prominent figures speak up on Jay-Z being named Super Bowl LXI halftime show headliner
Jay-Z was not the only person elated at hearing that he had been named the Super Bowl LXI halftime show headliner, however.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell revealed that it represented the culmination of something that he had said when they first agreed to work together in 2019:
“I’ve seen the extraordinary impact he has had on the Super Bowl Halftime Show. When we first reached an agreement with Roc Nation to produce the show, I had just one request: that Jay-Z take the stage himself one day, whenever the moment felt right to him.”
He concluded:
“I couldn’t be more excited for fans around the world to experience the artistry, creativity and cultural impact he will bring to the Super Bowl stage.”
Also issuing a statement was Oliver Schusser, Vice President of Music and International Content at Apple:
“Jay-Z’s impact on global music culture is as profound as it is undeniable. We’ve had the privilege of working closely with him these last few years to bring some of the world’s most exciting and prolific artists to the Super Bowl Halftime Show, and we are thrilled that he will be taking that stage himself this year. We know it’s going to be an incredible show.”
Super Bowl LXI will air on Valentine’s Day on ABC and ESPN. It will also be available for streaming on Disney+.
Edited by Andre Castillo
