Jay-Z isn’t done proving why he’s hip hop’s reigning Godfather. The rap mogul kicked off the first of his two sold-out Jay-Z 30 shows at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles, bringing out Blue Ivy, John Legend, DJ Khaled and others to perform for a crowd which included Rihanna and Destiny’s Child.
After shutting down his hometown of NYC with four, celebrity-packed and record-breaking shows, Hov took the party across the pond where he treated his Parisian and UK fans (and the American ones willing to make the trip) to a night of hit after hit to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his debut album Reasonable Doubt and the 20th anniversary of Blueprint. Now, he’s out to prove that he can rock a show on the opposite coast and it looks like he’s off to a good start.
It was a family affair, as usual, with Jay and Bey’s eldest daughter Blue Ivy coming out to play the piano for her superstar father’s performances of “Dead Presidents” and “The Story of OJ.” Though her mother didn’t join Jay onstage, she was seen rocking in the crowd, alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Come on, destiny’s children!!
Though his Yankee Stadium shows were packed with surprises, Jay took it easy on night one in Los Angeles. He was joined by John Legend and DJ Khaled for “God Did” and brought out legendary rapper Scarface for his rendition of “This Can’t Be Life” as well as the aforementioned’s track “Mind Playing Tricks on Me.”
Jay is soaking it all in as he continues to show why he’s been able to sustain success for the last three decades. He recently announced that he’ll be the headlining performer for next year’s Super Bowl, a plan many felt was always in the work when he decided to partner with the NFL through his entertainment company, Roc Nation. And, currently, his eight-part career retrospective docuseries Jay In ∞ is available to watch on HBO Max. One thing’s for sure, Jay isn’t leaving his legacy up to the changing winds of the internet, he’s making it clear that he earned the crown.
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