This rap legend has been having quite a momentous year celebrating his 30th anniversary, and now it looks like he could be set for the biggest stage of them all.
After all, what could be more fitting than headlining the 2027 Super Bowl halftime show to cap it all off? Especially when you’re the one curating it.
In case you’ve missed the buzz, Jay-Z, 56, has been marking the anniversary of his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, with a handful of special performances that have seen him reunite with famous collaborators, such as Rihanna, Alicia Keys and, of course, his superstar wife Beyoncé.
He also brought the show to London with two nights at Tottenham Stadium in September, but it won’t stop there, as he’s also predicted to top off his celebratory moment by headlining the Super Bowl halftime show in February.
Jay Z, real name Shawn Carter, has curated the NFL’s big music event for the best part of a decade, bringing the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and Lady Gaga to the football field.
Fans have long wondered if Jay-Z himself would ever headline, and now we could be closer to finding out the answer.
According to Puck, Jay-Z has picked himself to front the prestigious halftime show and could make the announcement when he performs in Los Angeles this weekend.
It comes after William Hill shared odds with Metro in August that had the 99 Problems rapper as the top favourite to headline the Super Bowl in 2027.
At the time, he was evens (1/1), making him the clear frontrunner, while Justin Bieber follows closely behind at 2/1 following his World Cup closing show performance this summer. Other major artists in the mix include Miley Cyrus (3/1) and Billie Eilish and Sabrina Carpenter (4/1).
A spokesperson for the bookies told us: ‘Amid speculation that Jay-Z is one of the leading candidates to headline the Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show, we’re quoting even money about the American rap sensation to take centre stage at the SoFi Stadium in California next year.
‘The timing fits well with his ongoing 30th Anniversary Tour and it could be the perfect end to a memorable run for him.’
They added: ‘A host of other big names will also want to throw their hats in the ring, including Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish and Sabrina Carpenter among others, but Jay-Z is our frontrunner at the moment.’
Favourites to headline the Super Bowl halftime show 2027
Jay Z – Evens
Justin Bieber – 2/1
Miley Cyrus – 3/1
Billie Eilish – 4/1
Sabrina Carpenter – 4/1
Harry Styles – 5/1
Ariana Grande – 6/1
Jay-Z has previously addressed the possibility of him doing the halftime show, teasing fans with a coy ‘maybe one day.’
In 2024, he explained that his priority has been platforming other artists that deserve to have their career achievements acknowledged, telling Entertainment Tonight: ‘I thought it would be selfish to pick myself too early.’
Dare we say it, eight years later surely feels like the right time.
This summer, Jay-Z has performed at the Roots Picnic festival in the US before hosting a three-night residency at the Yankee Stadium with a host of his famous friends as special guests.
Somehow, in all the hoopla, he also managed to find time to shave his signature hair after years of sporting locs and then briefly an afro.
Hov took over London’s Tottenham Stadium for two nights on September 4 and 5, and launched a pop-up in the city on August 27 to mark the occasion. With special guests including The Fugees, Giggs and Dave, Jay-Z performed some of the biggest hits from his catalogue, such as Big Pimpin’, Empire State of Mind and Run This Town.
Those who attended the first night of the Grammy-winning artist’s London shows anticipated an appearance from Queen Bey herself, given that it fell on her 45th birthday. However, Jay-Z instead set off fireworks and serenaded her with Happy Birthday as his wife looked on emotionally from the audience.