{"id":583321,"date":"2026-07-13T12:52:13","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T12:52:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/583321\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T12:52:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T12:52:13","slug":"after-delay-jay-z-rocks-yankee-stadium-at-extra-innings-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/583321\/","title":{"rendered":"After Delay, Jay-Z Rocks Yankee Stadium at ‘Extra Innings’ Show"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tSinatra was playing over the speakers at Yankee Stadium, but the night wasn\u2019t over, not quite. No, as Frank\u2019s voice rang out at 2:30 a.m., in the wee small hours of Monday morning \u2014 \u201cI want to beee a part of it\u2026\u201d \u2014 Jay-Z<\/a> still had a few more verses left in him.<\/p>\n

\n\tSeeing Jay live is a rare enough treat in these days when the man who was once rap\u2019s most prolific hitmaker is more or less retired, for real this time, emerging only when he wants to say something to the generations of hip-hop fans who still revere him like no other. This past weekend, he celebrated two milestones by looking back with a pair of concerts dedicated to full performances of his 1996 debut, Reasonable Doubt<\/a>, and his 2001 high point, The Blueprint. Those albums are turning 30 and 25 this year, but they\u2019re only the tip of Iceberg Slim\u2019s unparalleled catalog. So, when those two shows sold out instantly, he added a third night at the stadium and called it \u201cExtra Innings.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe extreme demand for these shows \u2014 driven even higher after two headline-making nights \u2014 meant huge crowds of would-be concertgoers outside the ballpark on Sunday evening. Amid reports of gatecrashers forcing their way past security and entrances locking down, the show was delayed more than three hours from its scheduled 9 p.m. start. Those who had made it to their seats sat around in the packed stadium and gradually grew restive. When the house speakers blasted Coolio\u2019s \u201cGangsta\u2019s Paradise\u201d for a second time that night, it drew loud boos. Rumors rippled through the crowd that the show would be canceled entirely. But hey, it was a beautiful night in the Bronx, and we were already there. What else could we do but wait?<\/p>\n

\n\tThose who did, which was just about everyone in the building, were rewarded with a show they\u2019ll be bragging about seeing for a long time. Jay has always been one of the strongest live acts in hip-hop, or pop music at large for that matter, someone who never, ever phones in a performance. In his prime, his shows were unforgettable displays of verbal dexterity and abundant charm. If you thought he might have lost a step since then, you were wrong. He still performs live without backing vocals or prompter, just one incredibly gifted performer keeping an enormous crowd hooked on his words. In an era when some young rappers question whether it\u2019s fair to expect them to rap<\/a> at all, it\u2019s refreshing to see how much pleasure Jay-Z takes in rapping really well. When he\u2019s doing his thing, it doesn\u2019t feel like a lost art.<\/p>\n

\t\tEditor\u2019s picks<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cNew York City, what\u2019s up?\u201d Jay asked the crowd after appearing onstage around 12:15 a.m. in a pinstriped jacket, crisp jeans, a Yankee hat with an umlaut on the logo, and Timberlands. He offered an explanation for the long delay, and an apology: \u201cThere were, like, 10,000 people outside. I didn\u2019t want to start the music and people get trampled\u2026. I\u2019m sorry for the inconvenience. We\u2019re gonna have a good time tonight. I got some shit for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThat he did. He had the crowd fully locked in from the opening pair of iconic songs about his home borough \u2014 \u201cBrooklyn\u2019s Finest,<\/a>\u201d where he hyped up Biggie\u2019s punchlines, and \u201cWhere I\u2019m From.<\/a>\u201d He got the stadium shaking with \u201cU Don\u2019t Know\u201d and brought out Harlem\u2019s own star of stage and screen<\/a>, Teyana Taylor, to sing the hook on \u201cCan\u2019t Knock the Hustle.\u201d He delivered a key boast from that song a capella (\u201cBouncing on the highway, switching four lanes\/Screaming through the sunroof\u2026’\u201d) and smiled as the audience completed the line for him: \u201cMoney ain\u2019t a thang!\u201d That cued his next guest, Jermaine Dupri, to do their 1998 hit of that name,\u00a0 followed by another friend from Atlanta, the beneficently beaming Jeezy in a snowman-logo suit (\u201cSeen It All,\u201d \u201cGo Crazy\u201d).\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tAs 1 a.m. approached, Jay started cracking jokes. \u201cLoosen up,\u201d he told the crowd full of rap fans who remember the Nineties. \u201cI know you were waiting a long time. Some of your backs are hurting, right?\u201d (Right.) \u201cLoosen up,\u201d he repeated. \u201cWe\u2019re gonna go til, like, 5 a.m. Let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\tRelated Content<\/p>\n

\n\tHe gave us a Blueprint mini-set with \u201cHola Hovito\u201d and \u201cHeart of the City,\u201d assisted on the latter song by Usher<\/a>, who came out to nail that Al Green vocal sample. Usher went on to remove his leather jacket to reveal a sculpted bare torso, to screams of delight from much of the audience.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tJay got emotional on \u201cNever Change\u201d and \u201cSong Cry,\u201d and brightened the mood with \u201cIzzo (H.O.V.A.).\u201d After a couple more lyrical showcases, nailing the tricky flows from \u201cFuckwithmeyouknowIgotit\u201d and \u201cJigga What, Jigga Who,\u201d he brought out someone who performs even less often than he does: Rihanna<\/a>. The impeccably stylish star tore the house down with \u201cRun This Town\u201d and her own \u201cBitch Better Have My Money,\u201d which she made into a moment of radiant joy. \u201cOh my god,\u201d she said excitedly. \u201cI missed this shit, y\u2019all!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe tour of Jay-Z\u2019s discography continued from there, with \u201cDead Presidents\u201d and \u201cCan I Live\u201d bringing it back to \u201996, and \u201cGirls, Girls, Girls\u201d and \u201c99 Problems\u201d bringing us up to \u201901 and \u201903, respectively. Swizz Beatz came out for a bit of \u201cMoney, Cash, Hoes\u201d and \u201cRuff Ryders Anthem,\u201d plus \u201cWelcome to the Jungle,\u201d \u201cJigga My N\u2014-,\u201d and \u201cOn to the Next One.\u201d Pharrell<\/a> showed up in Louis Vuitton logo shorts and a white windbreaker to add his falsetto to \u201cI Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me),\u201d \u201cFrontin\u2019,\u201d and \u201cAllure.\u201d Virginia\u2019s finest sibling duo, the Clipse<\/a>, weren\u2019t far behind, and Pusha T looked delighted as he and Malice emerged to run through \u201cGrindin’\u201d with one of their biggest heroes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s 2 a.m., guys,\u201d Jay observed around this point in the show. \u201cYou ready to go home yet? I\u2019m trying to take my time with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter a pause of a minute or two, a procession of women in all-white came out. These were the Mayyas, a Lebanese dance group with precise choreography, and they were there to accompany Beyonc\u00e9, who looked and sounded flawless<\/a> as ever as she performed \u201cDrunk in Love\u201d with her husband. The two world-class performers shared a sweet, genuine moment onstage as the song came to a close. \u201cI love you all so much,\u201d Beyonc\u00e9 said. \u201cI appreciate your loyalty to this man right here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s been a night,\u201d Jay added. \u201cWe\u2019re just enjoying the night. It\u2019s one of those legendary nights\u2026 We\u2019re about to go into overtime!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tJay kept the energy up with \u201cN\u2014-s in Paris<\/a>\u201d and \u201cBig Pimpin\u2019<\/a>,\u201d two songs that can get even a very tired crowd rapping along. He introduced \u201cPublic Service Announcement\u201d as \u201cthe national anthem,\u201d and it did kinda feel that way if you had listened to The Black Album enough at a formative time of life.<\/p>\n

\n\tThere was more to come, including that Sinatra singalong, an Alicia-less \u201cEmpire State of Mind,\u201d and a Fat Joe-ful \u201cNew York.\u201d Jay stood alone onstage to do his \u201cDear Summer\u201d verse a cappella: \u201cGimme a couple years, shit, I might just sneak in a couple words\/And like Peaches and Herb\/We\u2019ll be reunited, and it feels so hood\/Have the whole world saying, \u2018How you still so good?’\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThen another beat came in, and another: \u201cLucifer,\u201d then \u201cEncore.\u201d He looked like he was having the time of his life. He waved goodbye to 45,000 or so people who continued chanting \u201cHova!\u201d and throwing up diamond hand signs as the band filed offstage. It was nearly 3 a.m., and the case was clear, once again, that Jay-Z is one of the all-time greats. As if there were ever any doubt.<\/p>\n

\n\tJay-Z Extra Innings Set List<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cBrooklyn\u2019s Finest\u201d
\u201cWhere I\u2019m From\u201d
\u201cI Know\u201d
\u201cU Don\u2019t Know\u201d
\u201cCan\u2019t Knock the Hustle\u201d (with Teyana Taylor)
\u201cMoney Ain\u2019t a Thang\u201d (with Jermaine Dupri)
\u201cSeen It All\u201d (with Jeezy)
\u201cGo Crazy\u201d (with Jeezy)
\u201cHola Hovito\u201d
\u201cHeart of the City\u201d (with Usher)
\u201cThrowback\u201d (with Usher)
\u201cNever Change\u201d
\u201cSong Cry\u201d
\u201cIzzo (H.O.V.A.)\u201d
\u201cBeach is Better\u201d
\u201cFuckwithmeyouknowIgotit\u201d
\u201cJigga What, Jigga Who\u201d
\u201cNo Church in the Wild\u201d (with The-Dream)
\u201cClique\u201d
\u201cRun This Town\u201d (with Rihanna)
\u201cBitch Better Have My Money\u201d (with Rihanna)
\u201cDead Presidents II\u201d
\u201cCan I Live\u201d
\u201cGirls, Girls, Girls\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201c\u201903 Bonnie & Clyde\u201d
\u201c99 Problems\u201d
\u201cJigga My N\u2014-\u201d (with Swizz Beatz)
\u201cOn to the Next One\u201d (with Swizz Beatz)
\u201cAin\u2019t No N\u2014-\u201c
\u201cExcuse Me Miss\u201d (with Pharrell)
\u201cLa La La\u201d (with Pharrell)
\u201cI Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)\u201d (with Pharrell)
\u201cFrontin’\u201d (with Pharrell)
\u201cAllure\u201d (with Pharrell)
\u201cGrindin’\u201d (with Clipse and Pharrell)
\u201cDrunk in Love\u201d (with Beyonc\u00e9)
\u201cN\u2014-s in Paris\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\tTrending Stories<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cPublic Service Announcement\u201d
\u201cEmpire State of Mind\u201d
\u201cNew York\u201d (with Fat Joe and Jadakiss)
\u201cLucifer\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cEncore\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sinatra was playing over the speakers at Yankee Stadium, but the night wasn\u2019t over, not quite. No, as…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":583322,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[264],"tags":[12283,96786,18,117,19,17,3181,337,173053,16378,157053],"class_list":["post-583321","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-beyonce","tag-clipse","tag-eire","tag-entertainment","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-jay-z","tag-music","tag-pharrell","tag-rihanna","tag-usher"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/116912766473759914","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/583321","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=583321"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/583321\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/583322"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=583321"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=583321"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=583321"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}