Sean ‘Jay-Z’ Carter kicked off his “Reasonable Doubt” 30th anniversary concert series with a new look and brought out his family at his three-night Yankee Stadium run.
On Friday (Jun 10), before Jay-Z hit the stage, he opened up his show with a striking visual of Beyoncé cutting off his locks. In the cinematic clip, Beyonce uses clippers to cut off Jay-Z locks, which have been staple part of his presentation for nearly a decade. The two are seen sitting in an empty set of blue bleachers.
Flames and smokes filled the staudim’s screen right before Jay-Z emerges sporting a fresh low-cut Caesar, instantly sending social media into a frenzy.
The performance marked the opening night of Jay-Z’s celebration honoring the 30th anniversary of his groundbreaking 1996 debut album, “Reasonable Doubt,” an album that transformed him from Brooklyn lyricist into one of hip-hop’s most influential figures.
Jay-Z choosing to debut his new look at his homebase, in celebration of his debut album alongside his family signifies a full-circle moment for the rap veteran.
The night was filled with surprises including Beyoncé joining her husband to sing Mary J. Blige’s feature in “Can’t Knock the Hustle.” Blue Ivy, 14, joined the show as well, playing piano during “Feelin’ It” and earning loud cheers from the crowd.
The surprises didn’t stop with family. Jay-Z also brought out fellow NYC collaborator Memphis Bleek and mentor Jaz-O. Harlem’s Alicia Keys joined Jay-Z for an “Empire State of Mind” performance. Nas also joined the Roc-A-Fella Records executive for a medley of “The World Is Yours” and “NY State of Mind.”
The performance on Saturday (July 11) will be dedicated to his 2001 album “The Blueprint,” while Sunday’s (July 12) finale show will offer fans an extended setlist that spans his entire catalog rather than focusing on a single specific album.