Nelly Recalls 2004 Super Bowl Halftime Show
The rapper described his halftime performance on a podcast as the NFL names Jay-Z as the headliner for Super Bowl LXI.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Football
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Rapper Nelly described his 2004 Super Bowl halftime performance in Houston on Carmelo Anthony's 7PM in Brooklyn podcast. The NFL has named Jay-Z the headliner for the Apple Music Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show.
Why it matters
Nelly's account revisits the 2004 halftime show, which is remembered largely for Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction, and it arrives as the league sets its next halftime lineup. The recollection and the upcoming booking place the halftime show's history and future in the same conversation.
The FCC fined CBS $550,000 over the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show, and a court threw out that fine in 2011. The extraction does not describe the basis for the court's decision.
The players
Nelly
A rapper from St. Louis whose 2004 Super Bowl halftime performance and hit Shake Ya Tailfeather are central to this story.
Jay-Z
A hip-hop artist and entrepreneur who will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show at SoFi Stadium.
Janet Jackson
A pop singer whose wardrobe malfunction during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show became a widely discussed moment in broadcast history.
Justin Timberlake
A singer who performed during the 2004 halftime show and later publicly apologized to Janet Jackson, again, in 2021.
Federal Communications Commission
The independent U.S. agency that regulates broadcast media and fined CBS over the 2004 halftime show.
The details
Nelly performed at the 2004 Super Bowl in Houston, featuring Shake Ya Tailfeather, and said sets changed quickly as he and his dancers headed for the tunnel when Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction occurred during Justin Timberlake's performance of Rock Your Body. He also predicted Jay-Z will put on a great show at Super Bowl LXI.
Timeline
2001: Nelly performs his first Super Bowl halftime show in Tampa.
Feb. 1, 2004: Nelly performs in Houston and the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction occurs.
Feb. 8, 2004: Shake Ya Tailfeather wins a Grammy at the Grammys.
2011: A court throws out the FCC fine against CBS.
2021: Justin Timberlake publicly apologizes to Janet Jackson again.
Big Picture
Nelly's recollection revisits the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show that drew an FCC fine against CBS later thrown out in 2011. The renewed attention comes as the NFL books Jay-Z for Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium on Feb. 14, 2027.
Fans planning to attend or watch Super Bowl LXI will have the Jay-Z halftime performance as a scheduled event at SoFi Stadium. The booking is set for Feb. 14, 2027, so viewers can plan around it well in advance.
The takeaway
The 2004 halftime show shows how a single moment can shape a broadcast's regulatory history for years, and the upcoming Jay-Z performance will test how the league now manages its halftime spectacle.
What happens next
The Apple Music Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show featuring Jay-Z is scheduled for Feb. 14, 2027, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Further reading
Explore more Football coverage for context on the league's halftime show history.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Rolling Out.
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Would you watch a Super Bowl halftime show if it were headlined by a legacy act?
