New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani might have missed the Jay-Z concerts at Yankee Stadium, but he understands what the performances meant to fans.
“I was not there this weekend, though I know that it was a moment that many New Yorkers are going to hold dear for years,” he said at a press conference Monday. “Nas and Jay-Z performing together—it’s incredible, and I know that there’s just so many more moments that we could be listing.”
He also addressed the lengthy delay before Sunday’s Extra Innings show, which followed a security breach that involved people without tickets.
“I know that there are many New Yorkers who were delayed after there was a breach of security by those that didn’t have tickets and then it resulted in a multiple hour delay for many others so that’s something we’ll follow up on,” he said.
Asked to name his favorite Jay-Z album, Mamdani picked The Blueprint.
“The first album I was ever given was a clean version of The Blueprint, which is unfortunate,” he joked. “I learned about the importance of freedom of expression.”
Jay-Z celebrated the 25th anniversary of The Blueprint during the second night of his Yankee Stadium run, with appearances from Eminem, Slick Rick and Pharrell Williams. The first night celebrated Reasonable Doubt with guests including Nas, Alicia Keys, Beyoncé and Memphis Bleek.
The delayed Extra Innings show also featured Beyoncé, Jeezy, The-Dream and Teyana Taylor, among others.
Speaking to TMZ, Memphis Bleek said Jay-Z was initially “stone-faced” and “wasn’t talking to nobody” during the wait.
Teyana also reflected on the night, acknowledging the technical issues during her performance on Instagram.
“The sound & in-ears said ‘Not today.’ But guess what?? The gratitude was louder than any mic could ever be,” she wrote. She then thanked Jay-Z “for allowing me to be a part of such an iconic night.”
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