Rap legend Jay-Z has been announced as the headliner for the Super Bowl 2027 half-time show, but how much do you know about him?
The announcement of the headliner for the Super Bowl half-time show is always much anticipated and this year it certainly hasn’t disappointed with rap legend Jay-Z being confirmed as next year’s star turn.
The NFL has confirmed the news in a statement, with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell saying he “couldn’t be more excited for fans around the world to experience the artistry, creativity and cultural impact he will bring.”
That Jay-Z hasn’t headlined the Super Bowl show before is something of a surprise. Notwithstanding his global megastar status, his company, Roc Nation, has produced the Super Bowl half time show since 2019 and Jay-Z plays a key role in selecting who will be the headline act. Recent years have seen acts such as Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny take centre stage in what is always one of the most watched events of the year.
Super Bowl LXI will take place on February 14 near Los Angeles.
But how much do you know about Jay-Z? Here are some facts you might not know about him.
Jay-Z is estimated to be the wealthiest musician in history
Jay-Z, who has been ranked as the greatest rapper of all time by Billboard, is also a master businessman and has accumulated a fortune estimated to be $2.8 billion.
As well as royalties from his numerous best-selling albums and singles released over the past 30 years, Jay-Z has had numerous business interests, including being CEO of Def Jam Recordings from 2004-7, founding Racawear clothing, the 40/40 Club bar chain and Roc Nation, an entertainment agency. He also bought tech company Aspiro and led the expansion of its streaming service Tidal.
He dropped out of school
Jay-Z came from a tough background. He grew up in a public housing project in Brooklyn, and bounced around several high schools, before dropping out entirely in his sophomore year.
Around this time he was involved in selling drugs and was allegedly shot at several times.
His stage name is a nod to his mentor
The boy born Shawn Carter was known as Jazzy growing up. But, when he came under the mentorship of rapper Jaz-O, Shawn adopted the stage name Jay-Z in honour of him.
He lied to get a famous sample
Jay-Z found fame with albums in the mid-90s and by the time of his third studio album Vol 2… Hard Knock Life, he was a global star. But even global stars still need permission to use samples in their work. One of the tracks on Vol 2 is ‘Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem), which samples the song Hard Knock Life from the musical Annie. To try and clear the sample, Jay-Z contacted the song’s composers, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, and said that he saw the play on Broadway as a child and even wrote an award-winning essay about it. Neither of those claims were true, but Jay-Z still got his sample cleared.
He’s renowned for his philanthropic work
Jay-Z has been involved in philanthropic causes for more than 20 years. He founded the Shawn Carter Foundation in 2003, which helps students facing economic hardship to attend and get through college.
In 2006, he pledged $1 million to the American Red Cross’ efforts after Hurricane Katrina. He also donated $1 million to help relief efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
He keeps his private life private
Jay-Z is, of course, married to one of the most famous female musicians in the world, Beyonce. The pair have been married since 2008 but keep a low profile and avoid discussing their relationship in interviews. The couple believe this helps them – and their children – to keep their relationships stable and professional.
