# Jay-Z Reportedly To Be Super Bowl Halftime Performer for Super Bowl LXI **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** football-nfl, music\ **Created:** [October 20, 2026, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-z-reportedly-to-be-super-bowl-halftime-performer-for-super-bowl-lxi/1034005 "2026-10-20T17:03:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-z-reportedly-to-be-super-bowl-halftime-performer-for-super-bowl-lxi/1034005/1 "2026-10-20T17:03:50Z")
[Jay-Z has reportedly been named as the halftime performer for Super Bowl LXI](https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/music/nfl-makes-decision-on-super-bowl-halftime-show/ar-AA2fEGWv?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=6ad79afc84534e729ac729cb59990569&ei=59). Apparently Mr. Z owns the company that provides the talent, and so, in a way, he appointed himself. This doesn’t appear to be a shocking choice, like Bad Bunny. Nevertheless he is not a white country singer, so I suppose MAGA is still going to be upset. This casual football fan has never heard a Jay-Z song from beginning to end so I’ll likely skip the Halftime Show - unless MAGA finds a reason to get upset about it and puts on an “alternative” Halftime Show like they did last year; then I’ll watch the Jay-Z show out of spite, like I did with Bad Bunny. And I liked the Bad Bunny show. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-z-reportedly-to-be-super-bowl-halftime-performer-for-super-bowl-lxi/1034005/2 "2026-10-20T18:28:54Z")
Complete agreement w yourcattitude & plans. Assuming the rumor pans out. ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-z-reportedly-to-be-super-bowl-halftime-performer-for-super-bowl-lxi/1034005/3 "2026-10-20T19:34:43Z")
I’m still waiting for a nice Mozart quartet. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-z-reportedly-to-be-super-bowl-halftime-performer-for-super-bowl-lxi/1034005/4 "2026-10-20T19:36:04Z")
I’ve been saying since the Bad Bunny controversy, just have a Black drag queen read the Bill of Rights to a bunch of children. That would make MAGA clutch their pearls! ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-z-reportedly-to-be-super-bowl-halftime-performer-for-super-bowl-lxi/1034005/5 "2026-10-20T19:46:02Z")
Not a bad choice, although I haven’t heard any new material from him in about 15 years. I wonder if Beyonce will be a “surprise” guest. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-z-reportedly-to-be-super-bowl-halftime-performer-for-super-bowl-lxi/1034005/6 "2026-10-20T19:53:35Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > I haven’t heard any new material from him in about 15 years Maybe he’s getting Lay-Z. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-z-reportedly-to-be-super-bowl-halftime-performer-for-super-bowl-lxi/1034005/7 "2026-10-20T22:23:50Z")
> [@Jaycat.again](#): > > I’m still waiting for a nice Mozart quartet. I’m dying for a “Weird Al” halftime show. Or Gwar: [![](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMDU4ZDM4ZTMtMWY2OS00ZjgxLWE3MTItODdlYjlhY2MzNDEyXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_.jpg) ](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMDU4ZDM4ZTMtMWY2OS00ZjgxLWE3MTItODdlYjlhY2MzNDEyXkEyXkFqcGc@._V1_.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2026, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-z-reportedly-to-be-super-bowl-halftime-performer-for-super-bowl-lxi/1034005/8 "2026-10-20T23:14:00Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > I’m dying for a “Weird Al” halftime show. Or Gwar: I’m here for either. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2026, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-z-reportedly-to-be-super-bowl-halftime-performer-for-super-bowl-lxi/1034005/9 "2026-10-21T00:12:56Z")
Why not both? ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2026, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-z-reportedly-to-be-super-bowl-halftime-performer-for-super-bowl-lxi/1034005/10 "2026-10-21T01:37:55Z")
People need to have their musical horizons expanded, and particularly gridiron football fans, so, a good dose of Grammy-hopeful Let’s Paint TV guy at halftime would be the ideal choice for opening peoples’ minds aurally. Jay-Z would be all over it, maybe duet with him. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2026, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-z-reportedly-to-be-super-bowl-halftime-performer-for-super-bowl-lxi/1034005/11 "2026-10-21T02:14:25Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > I’m dying for a “Weird Al” halftime show. Or Gwar: Both would be kind of amazing. I want it to culminate with them feeding Al to the monster. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2026, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-z-reportedly-to-be-super-bowl-halftime-performer-for-super-bowl-lxi/1034005/12 "2026-10-21T13:52:09Z")
Does Gwar stand for Global War Against Republicans? ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2026, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-z-reportedly-to-be-super-bowl-halftime-performer-for-super-bowl-lxi/1034005/13 "2026-10-21T14:00:10Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > Not a bad choice, although I haven’t heard any new material from him in about 15 years. The halftime show has a tendency to alternate between current and “nostalgia” acts (although the did break the pattern with Kendrick and Bad Bunny back to back). ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2026, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-z-reportedly-to-be-super-bowl-halftime-performer-for-super-bowl-lxi/1034005/14 "2026-10-21T14:35:07Z")
I’ve never heard a single song from Jay-Z. I only know he is wealthy and married to Beyonce. I’ll have to seek out a greatest hits album or something. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2026, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-z-reportedly-to-be-super-bowl-halftime-performer-for-super-bowl-lxi/1034005/15 "2026-10-22T20:30:48Z")
This news is in the category of “Things Happening for the First Time That I Thought Already Happened Long Ago.”