JAY-Z has addressed the possibility of him headlining his own Super Bowl halftime show.
The rapper and mogul became the NFL’s live music entertainment strategist in 2019 and acts as a producer for the annual halftime show, but has yet to ever appear at the event itself.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight at the premiere of his new movie The Book of Clarence over the weekend, Hov was quizzed about the prospect of him hitting the Super Bowl stage.
“I don’t know,” he answered. “I thought it would be selfish to pick myself too early. Maybe one year. Maybe.”
JAY-Z also spoke about Usher headlining this year’s halftime show, which takes place in Las Vegas where the singer recently wrapped an acclaimed residency.
He said: “I think he’s gonna take his rightful place. He’s one of the greatest performers we’ve seen in our time and I think he’ll take his rightful place.”
The Brooklyn-bred billionaire is one of the most notable artists to have never appeared at a Super Bowl halftime show, but he did perform “Run This Town” before the big game in 2010 for which he won a Sports Emmy.
He recently won another Emmy Award for producing last year’s halftime show which was headlined by his Roc Nation signee Rihanna.
When announcing her performance, Jay said: “Rihanna is a generational talent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn. A person born on the small island of Barbados who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made in business and entertainment.”
Hov has now overseen three halftime shows. The first featured The Weeknd in front of a reduced crowd due to COVID-19, while the second was an all-star show featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent and Anderson. Paak.
Looking ahead to his debut halftime show, Usher said in a press release: “It’s an honor of a lifetime to finally check a Super Bowl performance off my bucket list. I can’t wait to bring the world a show unlike anything else they’ve seen from me before. Thank you to the fans and everyone who made this opportunity happen. I’ll see you real soon.”
At the time, JAY-Z added: “Usher is the ultimate artist and showman. Ever since his debut at the age of 15, he’s been charting his own unique course. Beyond his flawless singing and exceptional choreography, Usher bares his soul. His remarkable journey has propelled him to one of the grandest stages in the world. I can’t wait to see the magic.”