Jay-Z’s third show at New York’s Yankee Stadium started around three hours late due to a security breach on Sunday night.
The 99 Problems hitmaker, who started his previous two nights around 9pm, finally took to the stage at the stadium at 12.20am on Monday.
Before he began, the rapper explained to the audience that the show was delayed because “somebody rushed the door” to the venue and he didn’t want people to get “trampled”.
“Let me explain the delay to you guys,” Jay-Z said, according to social media footage. “It was like 10,000 people outside, and we closed all the doors ’cause somebody rushed the door. They closed the door for you guys’ safety and everybody’s safety outside. There’s 10,000 people outside; I don’t want to start the music and people get trampled.”
“I’m really sorry for the inconvenience, but I had to make sure everybody was OK. I appreciate your patience,” he added, to cheers from the audience, before kicking off the show.
The concert, which ended shortly before 3am local time, was a major star-studded affair. Special guests included Rihanna, who joined him for their collaboration of Run This Town and her song B**ch Better Have My Money, his wife Beyoncé, who performed their hit Drunk In Love, and Teyana Taylor, who came out for a rendition of Can’t Knock the Hustle.
Other special guests included Pharrell Williams, Usher, Jeezy, Jermaine Dupri, Fat Joe and Swizz Beatz.
The previous two nights were also filled with special guests. On Friday, the Empire State of Mind hitmaker was joined by Beyoncé, their daughter Blue Ivy Carter, Nas and Alicia Keys, and on Saturday, he performed with Eminem and Pharrell.
Jay-Z’s special concerts, which celebrate the 30th anniversary of his album Reasonable Doubt and 25th anniversary of The Blueprint, will continue in London, Paris and Los Angeles in September and October.
