Rihanna stepped onstage for her first public performance in over 3 years to help Jay-Z close out the final show of his three-night run at Yankee Stadium. The duo performed their iconic hit song “Run This Town,” which they released along with Kanye West back in July 2009. The Barbadian beauty served as a key advisor for all the teams on “The Voice” season 9 which aired in the fall of 2015.
The show was delayed by 4 hours due to a security threat which an employee attributed to the stadium locks being picked, but when it did get underway, fans were rewarded with a concert to remember.
The mom of three stepped out wearing leather capris with a fur-embellished top. Her waist was adorned with layered chains, and she completed her look with heels and a pair of shades.
After completing the first song, she joked to the crowd, “Yโall know Iโm rusty, right? Itโs been a while. Yโall with me right now?” She then launched into her 2015 solo hit “Better Have My Money.” The superstar told the crowd she’d missed performing and added, “New York, I love you guys!”
A couple of clues before the show hinted that the 38-year-old would be performing. First, she was spotted in New York City earlier on Monday, July 12 wearing a ROC A FELLA jersey in reference to the record label and management company Jay founded back in 1995.
Then later that night, Rihanna’s partner A$AP Rocky was spotted pulling up to the event.
Rihanna’s last public performance prior to the Jay-Z show was when she headlined the halftime performance at Super Bowl LVII on February 12, 2023. She used the moment to announce her pregnancy with her second child, a boy named Riot Rose Mayers.
Beyoncรฉ Also Performed at Jay-Z’s Night 3 Show
Rih was not the only surprise guest of the night. Earlier in the show, Jay-Z also brought out his wife Beyoncรฉ for a dazzling performance of their 2013 duet “Drunk In Love.”
Queen Bey wore sparkly blue high-waisted shorts with a tight Yankees jersey style top. After finishing the song, she expressed her appreciation to the fans for waiting. She said, “Thank y’all so much. I appreciate you guys and all of your loyalty, for this man right here,” gesturing to Jay. She added, “I love you so much,” before giving Jay a kiss and sauntering off the stage.
Bey and Rih were not Jay’s only guests. On night 1, he was joined by Alicia Keys and and Nas, along with Beyonce as well. Eminem made an appearance on Night 2.
Social Media Videos Show Fans Rushing Past Security Before Yankee Stadium Lockdown; Worker Says People Picked Locks of Stadium Door
A stadium worker explained in a video clip published to TikTok what she says led to the delay. She revealed, “It’s the ones who decided to pick the stadium door locks.” Speaking to the culprits, she went on, “You allowed 200 people to get through. Not only did you just do that tonight, you did this last night. The only difference is, last night they still resumed with the show. I don’t know if it was as bad as it was today.”
She went on, “Safety should always come first.”
A video filmed from inside the stadium shows a group of fans darting past a security checkpoint as the outnumbered guards appear overwhelmed.
Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Issues Statement After Yankee Stadium Concert Delay: Jay-Z Wanted to Keep Fans Safe from Being ‘Trampled’
When he was finally able to take the stage, the “99 Problems” rapper explained, “It was like 10,000 people outside, and we closed all the doors, and somebody rushed the door. They closed the door for you guysโ safety and everyoneโs safety outside. Thereโs 10,000 people outside; I donโt want to start the music and people get trampled. Iโm really sorry for the inconvenience, but I had to make sure everyone was OK. I appreciate your patience.”
The Hollywood Reporter says Roc Nation and Live Nation put out a joint statement following the show which reads, “The Yankees, Roc Nation and Live Nation express our deep gratitude to the NYPD and to Yankee Stadium security personnel for their leadership and direction throughout the evening, putting the welfare of attendees above all other considerations.”
Based on the above explanation about the locks to the stadium doors being picked, the concern sounds like it was less to do with the presence of the fans who appeared to bypass the security checkpoint, and more to do with a fear that potentially thousands of people could flood the stadium from outside if the doors were not secured.
