The '99 Problems' rapper reveals he came close to signing on the coveted gig when NFL bosses pressured him to bring along his 'Run This Town' collaborators.
- Feb 3, 2020
AceShowbiz - Jay-Z rejected an invitation to headline a previous Super Bowl Halftime Show after NFL bosses wanted him to guarantee guest appearances by Kanye West and Rihanna.
The rap mogul reveals he had come close to signing on to take centre stage for the big American football game earlier in his career, but he backed out of negotiations after officials reportedly pressured him to bring his "Run This Town" collaborators.
"Of course I would have (accepted the gig)," Jay-Z told The New York Times. "But I said, 'No, you get me.' "
"That is not how you go about it, telling someone that they're going to do the halftime show contingent on who they bring. I said forget it. It was a principle thing."
The "99 Problems" legend doesn't list the year he was approached, but "Run This Town" was released back in 2009.
His superstar wife Beyonce Knowles later headlined the 2013 entertainment, and returned to join Coldplay and Bruno Mars onstage at the Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show in 2016.
Jay-Z has since gone into business with executives at the National Football League (NFL) to serve as their live music entertainment strategist, which involves co-producing the halftime show for Super Bowl LIV in Miami, Florida on Sunday, when Shakira and Jennifer Lopez will co-headline the event.
The San Francisco 49ers face off with the Kansas City Chiefs in the big game.
