On Friday night, more than 45,000 people gathered at Yankee Stadium not to watch baseball, but to do something far more New York: watch Jay-Z perform in celebration of the 30th anniversary of *Reasonable Doubt*. It was the first in a three-night residency, with Friday dedicated to *Reasonable Doubt* and Saturday reserved for *The Blueprint*, which turns 25 this year. Across both nights, Jay-Z commanded an understated stage set-up - because as creative director Willo Perron told *Wired*, “the statement piece in a Jay-Z show is Jay-Z” - with support from guests including Beyoncé, Nas, Eminem, Slick Rick, and his daughter, Blue Ivy Carter.

The first night kicked off with a surprise Beyoncé duet on “Can’t Knock the Hustle,” followed by solo cuts like “Made In America (Freestyle)” and “Brooklyn’s Finest.” Blue Ivy Carter accompanied him on piano to introduce “Feelin’ It,” while other guests included Memphis Bleek, Jaz-O, Alicia Keys (because you can't play Yankee Stadium without “Empire State of Mind”), and Nas. On Saturday, the rapper broke Yankee Stadium’s ticket sales record with a set focused on *The Blueprint*, opening with “The Ruler’s Back” alongside Slick Rick. Eminem appeared for “Renegade,” and Pharrell joined for five songs. “HOV the greatest of all time,” Pharrell declared. “It’s not up for discussion.”

Jay-Z will return to Yankee Stadium tonight for the third and final show, billed as Extra Innings. This fall, he’ll bring the anniversary production to London, Paris, and Los Angeles.