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JAY-Z has issued a strong response after receiving significant backlash from NFL fans.
The 56-year-old rapper has defended the decision to pick himself to perform during the Super Bowl LXI halftime show.
He has explained that the NFL‘s flagship event will be just like any concert, despite having the world watching.
His halftime show was officially announced during the Philadelphia Eagles‘ Monday Night Football loss against the Dallas Cowboys.
It confirmed rumors that Jay-Z had appointed himself for the gig, with his Roc Nation brand partnering as the NFL’s live music strategist since 2020.
This has led several fans to hit out at the decision, arguing that Jay-Z is not the right act to headline the show.
“Literally zero percent of the NFL/Super Bowl audience wants this, man,” one fan on X said.
“Perfectly awful,” another commented.
But Jay-Z has taken this in his stride, telling TMZ that “there’s no pressure involved,” despite millions of fans being set to tune in for the event.
It is set to be the second staged at SoFi Stadium five years on from Super Bowl LVI.
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Wed 9 Sept, 8:20 pm ET - Season opener (New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks)
Thur 10 Sept, 8:35 pm ET – Australia game (San Francisco 49ers vs Los Angeles Rams at Melbourne Cricket Ground)
Wed 25 Nov, 8 pm ET – Thanksgiving Eve game (Green Bay Packers at Los Angeles Rams)
Thur 26 Nov – Thanksgiving day triple-header (Bears at Lions, Eagles at Cowboys, Chiefs at Bills)
Fri 27 Nov, 3 pm ET – Black Friday Football (Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers)
Fri 25 Dec – Christmas day triple-header (Packers at Bears, Bills at Broncos, Rams at Seahawks)
Sun 10 Jan 2027 – End of regular-season
16-31 Jan 2027 – Playoffs
Sun 14 Feb 2027 – Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California
The previous halftimes sent shockwaves across the entertainment industry with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar headlining in 2022.
Now the event has only continued to grow, with Bad Bunny’s performance averaging 124.9 million viewers across NBC, Telemundo, Peacock, NBC Sports Digital, and NFL+.
Jay-Z previously referenced turning down a Super Bowl halftime appearance on The Carters 2018 album EVERYTHING IS LOVE.
“I said no to the Super Bowl, You need me, I don’t need you,” he rapped on the song.
Meanwhile, his wife Beyonce headlined Super Bowl XLVII in 2013.
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