Jay-Z marked 30 years since his debut album Reasonable Doubt with two sold-out shows at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, running through hits and deep cuts on a historic return to north London ★★★★
It was impossible to take your eyes of Jay-Z as he commanded the stage with a relentless set of classic hits and deep cuts from his 30-year career(Image: Bonnie Britain/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)
For all the talk of Beyoncé and the surprise guests this tour has become known for, Jay-Z did not need anyone else to share his stage.
As a helicopter circled the roof of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with a spotlight picking out the rapper as he tore into 99 Problems, the scale of the 30th anniversary shows was matched by a set that rewarded fans who have been there since the beginning.
Yet for much of the show, Jay-Z, striding across the stage in unlaced Timberland boots, was the sole focus.
The 56-year-old delivered his lyrics with barely a pause, sounding remarkably sharp. The tour marks 30 years since the release of his debut album, Reasonable Doubt, and 25 years since The Blueprint, drawing from three decades of hits, with several deep cuts punctuating the set.
Sampha appeared to perform No Church in the Wild, standing in for Frank Ocean. It should have been one of the night’s more memorable moments. Instead, microphone issues left the crowd largely unable to hear Sampha’s vocals.
UK rapper Dave had better luck later in the show, performing his hit Raindance and immediately cranking up the energy in the second half.
Jay-Z thanked his guests, but kept his words to the 50,000 fans brief. He did, however pause the show to pay tribute to his roots, recalling a defining trip to Notting Hill in the 1980s with his then mentor Jonathan ‘Jaz-O’ Burks.
A 10-piece band and 18-piece string section accompanied the star as he ran through hits including Girls, Girls, Girls, Excuse Me Miss, La-La-La, Give It To Me and Dirt Off Your Shoulder.
“We got a million of these,” he told the crowd.
After arriving slightly later than planned on stage, Jay-Z found himself against the stadium’s strict curfew. In his final address, he said he told the sold-out crowd he’d be making a quick exit – leaving them with Big Pimpin’, PSA and Numb/Encore as his finale.
Famous guests in the audience for Saturday night included Madonna, Sabrina Carpenter and UK musicians Little Simz, Central Cee, Tinie Tempah and KSI.
For all the star power in the stadium, the night belonged to Jay-Z, a reminder that 30 years on, he remains the biggest name on his own stage and the hip hop legend fans really wanted to see.
