JAY-Z Nabs His Third Emmy Award For Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Performance

JAY-Z secured his third Emmy Award, earning the accolade for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special at the 2023 Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards held on Sunday night, January 7.

He shared this recognition with Hamish Hamilton, co-directing Rihanna’s Super Bowl halftime show in February 2023. The category included competition from Joel Gallen for “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage,” Linda Mendoza for “Wanda Sykes: I’m an Entertainer,” and others.

Hamilton boasts a significant history of directing championship game performances since 2010. Previous collaborations with JAY-Z encompass the 2003 film In Concert, the “On the Run II Tour” with Beyoncé, and projects with Eminem, The Weeknd, and Alicia Keys.

JAY-Z has been involved with the NFL as a live music entertainment strategist since 2019. Following the announcement of Rihanna as the performer for Super Bowl LVII, the “Holy Grail” artist praised her as a “generational talent.”

He described her as a person with humble beginnings who exceeded expectations at every step—a Barbados native evolving into one of the most prominent artists. Hov has previously won an Emmy Award in 2011 for “Run This Town” with Rihanna at Super Bowl XLIV and earned accolades at last year’s Primetime Creative Arts Emmys for Dr. Dre’s Super Bowl LVI halftime show, featuring Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, and Anderson .Paak.

At this year’s ceremony, Keke Palmer made history by winning Outstanding Game Show Host for NBC’s “Password.” It marked the first inclusion of this category in the Primetime Emmys.

Expressing her gratitude on Instagram, Palmer credited Jimmy Fallon, saying, “Couldn’t do it without you, [Jimmy Fallon]! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such a classic game show.”