Jay-Z had Yankee Stadium turnt up again! The rap icon brought the house down on Saturday, July 11, for the second night of his star-studded 30th-anniversary concert series.
Taking the stage in the Bronx to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his iconic 2001 album, The Blueprint, Hov kicked off the night with a high-energy performance of “The Ruler’s Back.”
He wasted no time getting the crowd hyped, calling out, “New York, what’s up? I want to thank y’all for being here tonight,” as he launched into his set.
This massive show is part of a three-night extravaganza honoring three decades of music royalty. The Jay-Z 30 series is a major tribute to the 30th anniversary of his debut album, Reasonable Doubt (released June 25, 1996), while also marking a quarter-century since The Blueprint changed the game on Sept. 11, 2001.
The setlist was a total nostalgia trip, featuring deep cuts from The Blueprint alongside massive anthems like “Encore,” “Excuse Me Miss,” “Empire State of Mind,” and “Big Pimpin’.”
Checking in with the electric atmosphere midway through the show, he asked, “Ready to party?” It’s safe to say the crowd was more than ready, staying on their feet and singing every single word right back to him.
The night got even bigger when the legendary Slick Rick joined Jay-Z on stage for the opening number, paying homage to his own 1998 track of the same name. But the surprises didn’t stop there! The stadium went absolutely wild when Eminem stepped out to join Jay-Z for their 2001 classic “Renegade.” Before heading off, Eminem kept the energy at an all-time high with a performance of his smash hit “Lose Yourself.”
And because it wouldn’t be a true E! News moment without more star power, Pharrell Williams made a surprise appearance, too. The Grammy-winning duo had the crowd completely ignited as they teamed up for hits like “Frontin’,” “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)” and “I Know.”