During last night’s show at Barclays Center, Jay Z encouraged the crowd to stick it to the man — by defying the building’s health and safety code.
“I want you to stand on your seats and in the aisles… this is my motherf**king building,” he bellowed before performing “N***as In Paris” (forgetting to mention that he actually sold his tiny share in the venue last year). As members of the crowd followed orders, one lady next to me promptly fell off her seat and another dude got his leg stuck down the back of his. Nothing says rebellion better than turning up to work on Monday morning with a minor injury sustained at an arena concert.
This silly interlude was a part of Hova’s attempt to prove that he is still capable of being edgy and dangerous and for the most part, it actually worked. Last year’s “Magna Carter Holy Grail” album felt bloated and tired but the “Magna Carter Holy Grail” world tour is a leaner, hungrier beast. Backed with just four musicians (including uber producer Timbaland) and a stage set that looked more like a construction site, Jay Z reminded his hometown that he hasn’t forgotten what he learned back in the Marcy Projects.
With his chest puffed out and cap turned backwards, Mr Carter looked and sounded confident as he strode through hits like “On To The Next One” and “99 Problems.” The rhymes came thick and fast, but the beats hit home just as hard. In contrast to the fuller band dynamic of previous tours (not least the Legends Of Summer tour with Justin Timberlake), the sound of “Beach Is Better” and “f**kwithmeyouknowigotit” felt tougher and more exhilarating.
As a hype man, there are few who can match Jay’s ability to pump the audience, many of whom showed their loyalty by turning up with more Brooklyn Nets merchandise than you would see at an actual Brooklyn Nets game. “I made the Yankee cap more famous than a Yankee can,” he rapped during a mid-set performance of “Empire State Of Mind.” Now, the same can be said of the Nets too.
The second half of the night was even more ferocious, particularly during a superb take on “Dirt Over My Shoulder” but as proceedings simmered down, Jay took time to reconnect with his fans on a personal level, going through each section and giving love to whoever caught his eye. He tried to resist the temptation but inevitably, Jay ordered the cameraman to zoom in on his mother Gloria, and her beaming face appeared on the large screens behind the stage for all to see.
Hysterically, a member of the crowd in front of Gloria then stood on her chair in an attempt to get a quick snap, only for Jay’s mom to furiously wag her finger. Venue security might be a soft touch to the rapper’s commands, but Mama Carter still don’t take no mess.
Jay Z plays Barclays again on Monday. If you’re going, don’t let his mom catch you standing on your seat.