Rihanna jokes ‘I’m rusty’ as she returns to the stage with Jay-Z

Rihanna stunned fans at Jay-Z’s Yankee Stadium gig on Sunday (12.07.26) with surprise performances of Run This Town and B**** Better Have My Money, quipping she felt “rusty” after three years away.

The last time the 38-year-old singer was onstage was when she headlined the Super Bowl halftime show in 2023.

The New York audience went wild for the surprise appearance amid an already-star-studded set.

At one point, Rihanna confessed to the crowd: “Y’all know I’m rusty, right? It’s been a while, Y’all with me right now?”

Rihanna’s partner, A$AP Rocky, also joined Jay-Z, performing Fkin’ Problems.

Kanye West made an appearance, teaming with Jay-Z for Otis and H.A.M, marking a rare Watch The Throne reunion that had fans losing it.

Alicia Keys stepped out for a soaring rendition of Empire State of Mind, turning Yankee Stadium into a full New York anthem sing-along.

Jay-Z’s wife, Beyoncé, appeared in the crowd and later hit the stage for a brief cameo moment, sending fans into meltdown even without a full performance.

Pharrell performed several tracks with Jay-Z, including a cover of Frontin’ and Excuse Me Miss.

Elsewhere, Teyana Taylor came out for Can’t Knock the Hustle, while Usher appeared for Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love) and Throwback / Part II (On the Run).

Fortunately, Jay-Z delivered the goods with the star-studded set, as fans were hit by a four-hour delay after a reported surge of fans forced their way through multiple gates ahead of the show.

According to ABC7, a police source said a large group had rushed at least two entrances, slipping past security without being screened. The incident prompted a full stadium lockdown, with no one allowed in or out for an extended period.

One clip circulating online appeared to show A$AP Rocky, Charlamagne Tha God and Fabolous waiting outside with other attendees. It was captioned: “Wow, even celebrities are stuck outside the last Jay-Z Yankee Stadium show tonight.”

When Jay-Z finally took to the stage, he offered an apology and explanation.

He told the crowd:  “I appreciate your patience. We gonna have a good time. I got some shit for you, I promise you.”

Explaining the hold-up, he added: “There was like ten thousand people outside. They closed all the doors ‘cause [people] rushed the doo