JAY-Z officially launched his historic three-night residency at New York’s Yankee Stadium on July 10, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Reasonable Doubt with a sold-out show packed with surprise guests and career-spanning performances. Beyoncé, Nas, Alicia Keys, Blue Ivy Carter, Memphis Bleek and Jaz-O all joined the rap icon during the opening night of the highly anticipated concert series.
The performance marked the first chapter of a weekend honoring two defining albums in JAY-Z’s catalog. Night one focused on Reasonable Doubt, originally released on June 25, 1996, while the July 11 concert is dedicated to the 25th anniversary of The Blueprint. A third “Extra Innings” show on July 12 was added after the first two dates sold out almost immediately.
Demand for the residency proved extraordinary months before opening night. During presales in March, ticket queues reportedly exceeded 800,000 users per show, with more than 1.6 million fans attempting to purchase seats across the first two concerts.
Friday’s concert blended deep cuts with blockbuster hits while revisiting nearly every era of JAY-Z’s career. Beyoncé joined him immediately for “Can’t Knock the Hustle,” even incorporating a brief snippet of her own “Love on Top.” Later in the evening, Nas appeared for a medley featuring “Dead Presidents,” “The World Is Yours” and “N.Y. State of Mind.”
Blue Ivy Carter also made a memorable appearance, playing piano during “Feelin’ It,” while Alicia Keys closed the show by performing “New York State of Mind” before reuniting with JAY-Z for “Empire State of Mind.” Jaz-O returned for “Bring It On,” and Memphis Bleek joined his longtime mentor for “Coming of Age.”
The concert also continued JAY-Z’s long relationship with Yankee Stadium. Before this residency, he had performed there five times, including the venue’s first-ever concerts alongside Eminem in September 2010, two performances with Justin Timberlake in 2013, and his unforgettable rendition of “Empire State of Mind” with Alicia Keys before Game 2 of the 2009 World Series.
Full Setlist (Night 1)
Can’t Knock the Hustle (with Beyoncé)
Album: Reasonable Doubt (1996)
Politics as Usual
Album: Reasonable Doubt (1996)
JAY-Z30 Freestyle
Brooklyn’s Finest
Album: Reasonable Doubt (1996)
I Love the Dough
Album: Life After Death (1997)
Dead Presidents / Dead Presidents II / The World Is Yours / N.Y. State of Mind / Where I’m From (with Nas)
Albums: Reasonable Doubt (1996); Illmatic (1994); In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 (1997)
Feelin’ It (with Blue Ivy Carter)
Album: Reasonable Doubt (1996)
D’Evils
Album: Reasonable Doubt (1996)
No Church in the Wild
Album: Watch the Throne (2011)
Can I Live
Album: Reasonable Doubt (1996)
Jigga My N****
Album: Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter (1999)
Ain’t No N****
Album: Reasonable Doubt (1996)
Excuse Me Miss
Album: The Blueprint²: The Gift & The Curse (2002)
22 Twos
Album: Reasonable Doubt (1996)
Friend or Foe / Friend or Foe ’98
Albums: Reasonable Doubt (1996); Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life (1998)
Coming of Age (with Memphis Bleek)
Album: Reasonable Doubt (1996)
Cashmere Thoughts
Album: Reasonable Doubt (1996)
Allure
Album: The Black Album (2003)
Bring It On (with Jaz-O)
Album: Reasonable Doubt (1996)
Regrets
Album: Reasonable Doubt (1996)
New York State of Mind
Empire State of Mind (with Alicia Keys)
Album: The Blueprint 3 (2009)
U Don’t Know / Best of Me (Part II) / Blow the Whistle / La-La-La (Excuse Me Miss Again) / Mundian to Bach Ke (Beware of the Boys) / Change the Game / Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up) / You, Me, Him and Her / Roc Boys (And the Winner Is…)
Albums: The Blueprint (2001); The Blueprint² (2002); Kingdom Come (2006); American Gangster (2007); various
Public Service Announcement
Album: The Black Album (2003)
N***** in Paris / Big Pimpin’
Albums: Watch the Throne (2011); Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter (1999)
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