Jay-Z's Yankee Stadium finale delayed three hours after gatecrashers storm entrances, then delivers Beyoncé, Rihanna and Usher in marathon set

Gatecrashers halt entry, start pushed to midnight

Jay-Z's final night of a three-show residency at Yankee Stadium, billed as "Extra Innings," was delayed roughly three hours on Sunday, July 12, after hundreds of people without tickets rushed entrances and, in some cases, breached security. A joint statement from Roc Nation, the New York Yankees, and Live Nation described how "hundreds of individuals in large groups -- who did not have tickets to tonight's performance -- stormed over peaceful ticketholders." Gates across all stadium entrances were closed for an extended period with guidance from the NYPD to ensure safety. A representative for the rapper confirmed the cause to Rolling Stone, noting that organizers prioritized the welfare of attendees above all other considerations. The show, originally scheduled for 9:00 p.m., did not begin until after midnight, with tens of thousands inside the venue left waiting for hours.

Jay-Z addresses the crowd, promises reward

When Jay-Z finally took the stage around 12:15 a.m., he addressed the delay directly, framing it as a safety decision. He told the audience there were roughly 10,000 people outside the stadium and that doors were closed after someone rushed an entrance.

Let me explain the delay to you guys. It was like 10,000 people outside, and we closed all the doors, and somebody rushed the door. They closed the door for you guys' safety and everyone'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 everyone was okay. I appreciate your patience.

The New York Times noted that Jay-Z "leaned in like a crisis P.R. professional" with equanimity and certainty, assuring the crowd their patience would be rewarded. He promised the audience he had "some shit" for them and launched into a set that stretched until nearly 3:00 a.m., concluding with celebratory fireworks around 2:45 a.m.

Rihanna returns after three-year stage absence

The most unexpected moment arrived when Rihanna appeared for her first public performance in three years, joining Jay-Z for their 2009 collaboration "Run This Town" before delivering a solo rendition of her 2015 single "Bitch Better Have My Money." The Barbadian singer, whose last studio album Anti dates to 2016 and whose most recent stage appearance was the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show, acknowledged the long gap. She told the New York crowd she felt "a bit rusty" and that it had been "a long time," per BFMTV. La Vanguardia reported her saying she "missed being here." The moment carried emotional weight given that Jay-Z was a mentor and support figure for her after the 2009 assault by Chris Brown, the Spanish outlet noted. Rihanna has focused in recent years on motherhood and her Fenty business empire, including Fenty Beauty, Savage X Fenty, Fenty Skin, and the newer Fenty Hair line.

A marathon setlist with 44 songs across eras

Night three's 44-song setlist was the longest of the three Yankee Stadium shows, according to Billboard, spanning Jay-Z's career with appearances from Beyoncé, who performed "Drunk in Love" after singing "Can't Knock the Hustle" on Friday, plus Usher, Teyana Taylor, Jermaine Dupri, Jeezy, Clipse, Swizz Beatz, Pharrell Williams, and The-Dream. Usher paid tribute to Bobby "Blue" Bland with "Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)" and also performed "Throwback." The-Dream handled Frank Ocean's parts on "No Church in the Wild" from the 2011 Watch the Throne album. Pharrell, during a five-song medley, teased that Jay-Z is going to "kill all them" on whatever new music is forthcoming. Jadakiss and Fat Joe joined for a celebration of New York's summer, while Jeezy flew in from his Las Vegas residency for "Seen It All" and "Go Crazy."

Streaming release of 'Glory' caps the night

As a bonus for fans, Jay-Z released his 2012 track "Glory" onto all streaming platforms on July 13, Vulture reported. The song was originally released two days after the birth of his daughter Blue Ivy and features a sample of her crying, which at the time made her the youngest person ever to appear on the Billboard Hot 100, a record she still holds. The track, which addresses Beyoncé's previous miscarriages and Jay-Z's excitement about fatherhood, had not been available on Spotify or Apple Music since its original release. The weekend run began Friday, July 10 and Saturday, July 11 with shows dedicated respectively to the 30th anniversary of Reasonable Doubt and the 25th anniversary of The Blueprint. A Paris concert at the Stade de France is scheduled for September 10.