Jay-Z closed his yearlong “Jay-Z 30” concert series on Saturday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, with appearances from Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Too Short.
The 90-minute show marked the second of two performances at the stadium and the final stop in a series celebrating three decades of the rapper’s career.
Too Short joined Jay-Z to perform “Blow the Whistle”, while Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg delivered a medley of hits, including “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang”, “Still D.R.E.” and “California Love.”
Jay-Z performed songs spanning his career, including “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)”, “Dirt Off Your Shoulder,” “99 Problems”, “Empire State of Mind” and “Public Service Announcement.”
The concert series began with a headline performance at the Roots Picnic in late May. It also included shows in Philadelphia and New York, where Jay-Z brought out guests including Alicia Keys, Fat Joe and Jadakiss during his three-night run at Yankee Stadium.
The Los Angeles finale featured fewer guest appearances than some of the earlier shows, placing the focus largely on Jay-Z’s catalogue and performance.
During “Encore,” Jay-Z addressed online claims that the stadium was not sold out and that tickets had been given away. He urged the audience to question what they see on social media.
“You gotta be really real with what’s going on in the world,” he told the crowd.
“People will tell you that nobody was in here tonight, but you got eyes. You can see. People will tell you that the music wasn’t great, but you got ears. You gotta understand, you gotta question everything.”
Jay-Z also warned about the spread of misinformation and the role of artificial intelligence in shaping what people believe.
“This world with AI and everything, it’s been going on forever. They called it propaganda before. But now, the technology has caught up and people are tricked,” he said. “Make sure you question everything you feel.”
The “Jay-Z 30” shows revisited a catalogue built over decades, including hit records that helped establish him as one of hip-hop’s most influential artists. The concerts also came after a lengthy gap since his last album, as questions about his next musical project and a possible Super Bowl halftime performance continued to circulate.
Jay-Z ended the show with “Encore,” closing a series that looked back on his career while leaving questions about his next move unanswered.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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