Jay-Z calls AI a ‘beautiful trick’ amid backlash over rumors he chose himself for Super Bowl show

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jay-Z has blamed artificial intelligence (AI) for spreading misinformation as he addressed online backlash over reports that he has chosen himself to perform at the Super Bowl LXI halftime show.

The 56-year-old rapper addressed the backlash during a Saturday, October 24, concert at SoFi Stadium.

He oversees the NFL's halftime show entertainment through Roc Nation, although neither party has confirmed the reported selection.

Jay-Z blames AI for Super Bowl halftime show backlash

Jay-Z signed a $5 million-a-year deal with the NFL in 2019 to oversee the Super Bowl halftime show. The deal was renewed in 2024. Since taking on the role, he has selected performers including Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar and Bad Bunny.

According to a report by Puck News, he will give himself the opportunity to headline this season's show at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on February 14.

The NFL has also declined to comment, reiterating that it only provides official confirmation when an announcement is made.

The Daily Mail first reported on September 18 that Jay-Z, who is married to Beyonce and shares three children with her, was considering himself for the halftime show.

Roc Nation and the NFL strongly denied the reports at the time.

Before the latest report emerged, rumours suggested that Jay-Z and Roc Nation were considering Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber and Harry Styles for the high-profile performance.

Since the news surfaced, the rapper has faced online criticism, including memes mocking his supposed decision to select himself.

During his Saturday concert at SoFi Stadium, Jay-Z addressed the criticism by questioning the reliability of information circulating online.

"People will tell you that nobody was in here tonight, but you got eyes," he told the audience, adding that people should question claims about whether the music was good.

"It's been this world of AI and everything," he continued, comparing the technology to propaganda that had existed for years before technological advances caught up with it. "It's a beautiful trick. A lot of tricknology. It's called artificial intelligence 'cause it's been against you guys."

Jay-Z defends Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show selection

Jay-Z has never performed at the Super Bowl halftime show, although Beyonce headlined the 2013 edition in New Orleans. She also appeared as a special guest alongside Bruno Mars during Coldplay's performance in Santa Clara in 2016.

He has not released an album since '4:44' in 2017, which went double platinum.

The reported selection comes after Bad Bunny's halftime performance last year, the first show performed entirely in a language other than English, generated considerable debate and controversy.

Jay-Z subsequently discussed the process behind selecting performers in an interview with GQ.

"I think everyone should experience music in its totality," he said, explaining that the opportunity had allowed the NFL to present a more balanced representation of popular music.

He defended the choice of Bad Bunny by describing him as the most-streamed artist in the world rather than an obscure independent performer. Despite the controversy surrounding the performance, Bad Bunny's show set global viewership and social media records.

However, it fell short of becoming the most-watched halftime show of all time, according to US television ratings.