{"id":1235200446,"date":"2026-10-24T15:17:23","date_gmt":"2026-10-24T19:17:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vibe.com\/?p=1235200446"},"modified":"2026-10-28T13:12:08","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T17:12:08","slug":"jay-z30-shines-solo-at-sofi-stadium-night-one-los-angeles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibe.com\/music\/reviews\/jay-z30-shines-solo-at-sofi-stadium-night-one-los-angeles-1235200446\/","title":{"rendered":"JA\u0178-Z30: Hov Shines (Mostly) Solo at SoFi Stadium Opener in Los Angeles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\tJAY-Z passed on plentiful plus-ones for his opening night of the JA\u0178-Z30 tour in Los Angeles on Friday (October 23). His summer stint across the globe \u2014 New York, London, Paris, and now, L.A. \u2014 has plenty to celebrate, like the ent-rap-eneur\u2019s debut Reasonable Doubt <\/em>turning 30 and 25 years of The Blueprint<\/em>, but the setlist at SoFi was a balanced medley of Hova\u2019s beloved eras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tLegacy is heavy in the air for Jigga\u2019s nostalgic excursion this year, not just for him, but for hip-hop. You hear it in the way he reflects on his past work, as seen in the Rick Rubin-led HBO docuseries JA\u0178-Z in 8<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>and his lyrical delivery on stage. Even the interpolations of rap gems thanks to Hov\u2019s live band 1500 or Nothin\u2019 and previous invitees salute the genre\u2019s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tThis past July, Hov set a sky-high bar for star power with three hometown shows at Yankee Stadium. VIP cameos included Beyonc\u00e9, Rihanna, Eminem, Alicia Keys, Usher, Clipse, Nas, and more. JAY-Z then took his talents to London (Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, and Giggs swung by) and Paris (Justin Timberlake and Pharrell came through) before landing in the entertainment capital of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Jay-Z\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\tJay-Z and Scarface.<\/span>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Roc Nation<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<\/figcaption>\n\n\t\t\t\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\tIn L.A., more celebrities were scattered on the floor than on stage at SoFi, including close Hov collaborator Memphis Bleek, Grammy-winning producer\/artist Hit-Boy, R&B icon Brandy, Malia and Sasha Obama, model\/actress Winnie Harlow, and the Combs kids. Some notable names lit up the night as the two-hour concert featured special appearances from Houston MC Scarface, who performed The Dynasty <\/em>gem \u201cThis Can\u2019t Be Life\u201d and the Geto Boys\u2019 classic \u201cMind Playing Tricks on Me,\u201d as well as DJ Khaled and John Legend for the finale, \u201cGOD DID.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tThe brightest highlight was Blue Ivy, who stunted on the Jumbotron with her prowess on the piano. The Carters\u2019 teen daughter, who rocked a Rocawear jacket, tickled the ivories for elite renditions of \u201cThe Story of O.J.\u201d and \u201cDead Presidents.\u201d Papa Hov beamed with pride, calling her \u201cthe most incredible\u201d and \u201cmulti-talented,\u201d before taking in the moment after performing with his little one. \u201cThat\u2019s crazy, I know,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tHiding his Caesar cut under his signature New York Yankees cap and adorned with a glittery stack of gold chains, JAY-Z kept his setlist as tight as his concert attire of bulletproof vests. But the masterful mash-ups and West Coast flavor added some razzle-dazzle. The Ha-Ya notes courtesy of the Clark Sisters on \u201cFamily Feud\u201d crescendoed into the opening lines of \u201cU Don\u2019t Know.\u201d Chef\u2019s kiss for that butter-smooth transition from \u201cDirt Off Your Shoulders\u201d into \u201cI Know,\u201d too. Homage was also paid to the late great Nipsey Hussle when \u201cHard Knock Life\u201d blended with \u201cHussle and Motivate\u201d and the Swizz Beatz-produced \u201cOn to the Next One\u201d glided into \u201cLast Time that I Checc\u2019d.\u201d For an extra dose of California love, JAY-Z also sprinkled some Eazy-E into \u201c99 Problems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Jay-Z,\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n
\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\tJay-Z, DJ Khaled, and John Legend.<\/span>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Roc Nation<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<\/figcaption>\n\n\t\t\t\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\tDespite being on the West Side, Marcy Project\u2019s very own took the crowd on the express train to Brooklyn from start to finish. Homegrown hits like \u201cWhere I\u2019m From,\u201d \u201cHeart of the City,\u201d and \u201cEmpire State of Mind\u201d touched the souls of every L.A. transplant rocking Yankee apparel or a pair of crispy Timberland boots. New York landmarks flashed on the big screen alongside images of Black excellence, love, ambition, and struggle, including intimate Knowles-Carter family footage, the White Bronco chase, and Mike Tyson videos, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tFor those expecting Hov to match the tri-state trifecta at Yankee Stadium, the Los Angeles opener was not a replica. Still, Day Ones and casual listeners got a parade of Hovito hits in Inglewood. \u201cWe\u2019ve got millions of these,\u201d the headliner said throughout his mostly solo endeavor at the Rams and Chargers\u2019 home. (It should also be stated that the tour tees up a potential Super Bowl halftime show<\/a> from JAY in 2027 nicely.) Sure, Destiny\u2019s Child, Rihanna, and Kendrick Lamar were spotted at SoFi and could have been easy layups. But the Roc-Boy-in-Charge has never needed help bringing down the house \u2014 he just has to rock the mic. And on night one at SoFi, that\u2019s how he won the West over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tSETLIST<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cHovi Baby\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cI Wanna Be Where You Are\u201d <\/em>(Michael Jackson snippet)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cIzzo (H.O.V.A.)\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cBeach is Better\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cF*ckwitmeuknowigotit\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cJigga what, Jigga Who\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cRun This Town\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cThe Story of O.J.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cDead Presidents\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cHard Knock Life\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cHussle and Motivate\u201d (Nipsey Hussle snippet)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cLucifer\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cFeeling Good\u201d<\/em> (Nina Simone snippet)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cNo Church in the Wild\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cCan I Live\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cFamily Feud\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cU Don\u2019t Know\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cOn To the Next One\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cLast Time That I Checc\u2019d\u201d<\/em> (Nipsey Hussle snippet)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cClique\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cDirt Off Your Shoulders\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cI Know\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cThis Can\u2019t Be Life\u201d featuring Scarface<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cMind Playing Tricks on Me\u201d (Geto Boys)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cSong Cry\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201c99 Problems\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cGirls Girls Girls\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201c\u201803 Bonnie & Clyde\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cExcuse Me Miss\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cLa-La-La\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cI Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cJigga\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cWhere I\u2019m From\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cEmpire State of Mind\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cN-ggas in Paris\u201d x \u201cBig pimpin<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cEncore\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tEncore: <\/em>\u201cGod Did\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For Hov\u2019s first night in L.A., JAY-Z evangelists revel in the rap god\u2019s greatest hits<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":1235200457,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","authors":["adelle-platon"],"contributors":[],"styled_by":[],"_image_credit":"","_wp_attachment_image_alt":"","pmc_selected_wwd_video_media":"","pmc_top_video_source":"","pmc_top_video_duration":"","wwd_top_video_source":"","wwd_top_video_duration":"","pmc_selected_featured_media":"","pmc_selected_video_media":"","pmc_selected_variety_video_media":"","variety_top_video_source":"","variety_top_video_duration":"","pmc_featured_media_has_alt_text":true,"_pmc_featured_animated_media_id":0,"_pmc_featured_video_override_data":"","_pmc_featured_video_override_url":"","_pmc_featured_video_response_data":"","pmc-gallery-linked-gallery":{},"pmc_list_item_description":"","primary_category":"","primary_vertical":"","_mt_pmc_exclude_from_seo":"","_pmc_opengraph_title":"","_pmc_opengraph_description":"","categories":8,"subcategories":62582,"thr_post_headlines":"","_variety-sub-heading":"","mt_seo_title":"Hov 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