On Friday (July 11), Jay-Z delivered the first night of his long-awaited three-night run at Yankee Stadium, and he did not disappoint.
Billed as the Reasonable Doubt evening for his day-one fans, Hov dazzled the crowd, reimagining his landmark 1996 debut alongside a live band. He seamlessly wove classics like “Ain’t No N—a” into “Excuse Me Miss,” while also making the night a family affair. Beyoncé joined him to sing the hook on “Can’t Knock the Hustle,” and their eldest daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, took to the piano for a silky rendition of “Feelin’ It.”
When Jay shifted into a more defiant gear, he stunned fans with a sharp new freestyle aimed at critics of his recent Target deal. But the night wasn’t all about proving a point. Leaning into nostalgia, he reunited with Memphis Bleek for “Coming of Age” and Jaz-O for “Bring It On.”
Then, as if pulling guests out of thin air, Jay continued the surprises. Former rival Nas joined him for a mash-up of “Dead Presidents” and “New York State of Mind,” while Alicia Keys capped off one of the night’s biggest moments with their Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit, “Empire State of Mind.”
Among the tens of thousands in attendance were LeBron James, Megan Thee Stallion, Tobey Maguire, Leonardo DiCaprio, DJ Khaled, Swizz Beatz, Knicks star OG Anunoby and more. With two more nights to go, who knows what more Jigga Man has up his sleeve.
Check out the full setlist from Night One of Jay-Z’s three-night Yankee Stadium run below.
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“Can’t Knock The Hustle” Featuring Beyoncé
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“Politics As Usual” / “Made in America”
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“Brooklyn’s Finest” / “I Love The Dough”
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“Dead Presidents” / “World Is Yours” With Nas
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“NY State of Mind” / “Where I’m From” With Nas
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“Feelin It”
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“D’evils” / “No Church In the Wild”
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“Can I Live” / “Jigga My”
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“Ain’t No” / “Excuse Me Miss”
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“22 Two’s”
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“Friend or Foe”
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“Coming Of Age” Featuring Memphis Bleek
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“Cashmere Thoughts” / “Allure”
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“Bring It On” Featuring Jaz-O
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“Regrets”
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Medley: “Best of Me (Remix),” “La-La-La,” “Beware of the Boys,” “Change the Game (Remix),” “Put Your Hands Up,” “PSA,” N—as in Paris,” “Big Pimpin”
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“Empire State of Mind” Featuring Alicia Keys
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