As reported by Bloomberg, Jay-Z and the NFL plan to continue their collaboration for the Super Bowl Halftime Show, which this year will feature Kendrick Lamar. During the NFL owners meeting in Atlanta on Tuesday, October 15, Commissioner Roger Goodell said, “It’s been a mutually positive relationship. Jay is happy. Desiree Perez is happy. I’m happy, so we’re all good.”
According to ESPN, the previous deal was worth $25 million over five years and included Roc Nation’s contribution to the Super Bowl Halftime Show. And also help for the league’s Inspire Change social justice program, which has distributed $375 million in grants. The marriage between the two companies, however, has had its share of controversies. After the announcement in the summer of 2019, Jay-Z was criticized for linking himself to a league that would ban San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick for choosing to kneel during the national anthem in protest of police brutality.
Kendrick Lamar’s Jay-Z and NFL pick
More recently, the rapper and businessman felt the ire of some in the rap community when it was announced that Kendrick Lamar, not Lil Wayne, would be headlining this season’s Super Bowl in his hometown of New Orleans of his namesake. “Kendrick Lamar is truly a one-of-a-kind artist and performer. His deep love of hip hop and culture informs his artistic vision. It has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture globally. Kendrick’s work transcends music and his impact will be felt for years to come,” Jay-Z wrote in a statement.
Since Jay-Z and Roc Nation took over the reins of the coveted Super Bowl Halftime Show space, they have mostly chosen hip hop and urban artists in general. Shakira, J.Lo, The Weeknd, Dr. Dre and friends, Rihanna and Usher have graced the stage. This year’s show will be highly anticipated, as Lamar aims to put an exclamation point on the end of an already stellar year.
