Jay-Z Confirmed for Super Bowl Stage, and His Best Sports Lyrics Are Ranked

Jay-Z will take the Super Bowl stage, settling a question that has trailed 2026 since the rapper called this year all about offense in his March cover story with GQ. Even though the teams are not yet known, the man born Shawn Carter will be waiting at the 50-yard line when they arrive.

Fans can expect his trademark hits, along with plenty of sports talk. His albums are packed with references to Michael Jordan, NASCAR, scrambling quarterbacks and much more, which prompted ESPN writers David Dennis Jr. and Justin Tinsley to rank his ten best.

Starting the list at No. 10 is a line from 2007's "Party Life" in which he says he should win an ESPY. At No. 9, from 2004's "Never Let Me Down," he calls himself the Jeff Gordon of rap. The writers note that it landed during his short-lived retirement, as a claim that he was back in front.

The No. 8 pick, from 1997's "I Love The Dough," puts Jay in the 1500 seats watching Mike Tyson. It recalls a 1995 Las Vegas trip by Jay and Roc-A-Fella Records to see Tyson's first fight after prison, against Peter McNeely. The same bout appears in "Can I Live."

Next comes a 2008 line from "Blow The Whistle" calling himself the rap LeBron James, which ranks seventh. The track was already a party anthem, and the writers point out that Jay ended up defending James against DeShawn Stevenson and Soulja Boy. At No. 6, a 2001 verse in "Heart of the City" compares his scrambling to Randall Cunningham, the longtime Philadelphia Eagles favorite who starred for the 1998 Minnesota Vikings alongside Cris Carter and Randy Moss.

The middle of the list leans on nostalgia and New York pride. Fifth is a 1997 "Who You Wit II" nod to Lil' Penny, the figurine voiced by Chris Rock that helped market Penny Hardaway. Fourth is a 2005 "Go Crazy" remix verse, recorded with Young Jeezy, that likens Jay to Yankees closer Mariano Rivera.

Third place goes to a 2003 freestyle over Joe Budden's own "Pump It Up" beat. Jay cast himself as the Mike Jordan of the mic and dismissed Budden with comparisons to Harold Miner, JR Rider and Pervis Ellis. In second is a puzzling 2001 "Lyrical Exercise" line, "Jiggaman is Diesel when I lift the 8 up," which the writers say refers to a photo of Shaq lifting Kobe Bryant, who wore No. 8. By their account, the internet needed more than a decade to figure it out.

The top spot belongs to "Hola Hovito" from 2001, where Jay tells rivals they are Sam Bowie and adds, "MJ, Him Jay, fadeaway perfect." It points to one of the biggest NBA draft blunders ever, when the Portland Trail Blazers chose Bowie over Michael Jordan in 1984. The writers say Jay is casting other rappers as busts and himself as the real MJ.