Jay-Z performing three nights at Yankee Stadium is one of the biggest flexes an artist could do. It was one of the most grandiose nights hip-hop has had in a long time, where he pulled out all the stops and turned back the clock. For a few nights, it felt like we were right in the middle of Hov’s prime again.
What made it even better was that he performed most of the greatest songs he’s ever made. In between celebrating his two definitive classics, Jay-Z mixed in essential collaborations and deep cuts during his Extra Innings show. However, there were still some records music nerds like me would’ve clamored to hear. Consequently, we picked out eight songs that would’ve been incredible to hear him rap again.
Eight Lesser-Known Jay-Z Songs I Wish He Performed at His Massive Stadium Shows
“Who You Wit 2”
The best way to follow up the rags-to-riches arc on Reasonable Doubt is to bathe in the riches even more. On “Who You Wit 2”, Jay lounges in the success he’s accumulated by driving the best Lexus and Bentley cars money could buy and flirting with the finest women in the world. “You know the whole repertoire, U.S. to the U-S-S-R/Sexin’ in a Lexus car/Match wits with the best of y’all,” Jay-Z boasts.
“Imaginary Players”
Hov will likely never sound as cool as he does on “Imaginary Players”. On the outro, he essentially scoffs at someone driving a different submodel car. The difference between a 4.0 and a 4.6 engine is “like 30 to 40 grand, c**ksucker – beat it.”
“F**k All Nite”
Jay-Z covered most of the quintessential records he made with Pharrell across his three nights. He even surprised us with “I Know“, a catchy, haunting record about h***** addiction. But it would’ve been really cool to hear Hov go back to his Blueprint 2 days and rap the funky “F**k All Nite”.
“Some How Some Way (feat. Beanie Sigel & Scarface)”
Some of Jay-Z’s most soulful rapping, a testament to perseverance by any means necessary. “I, seen the worst of the worst/I deserve every blessing I receive, I’m from the dirt/I, planted my seed on unfertile land/Myrtle Park, Marcy, Flushing and Nostrand/And, still I grew,” Hov raps.
“Change Clothes”
There’s probably some measure of regret in making “Change Clothes”. Jay-Z was a big reason why so many people were pulling up to clubs and parties wearing the baggiest of dress clothes. That trend of business casual never stuck in the long term, and he didn’t spend too long embracing it before going back to his trademark Yankee fitted hat.
But “Change Clothes” remains a personal guilty pleasure; where else would I get to hear Hov rap over sweet chords and a cowbell?
“December 4th”
“December 4th” almost guarantees that Jay-Z will never have to write a formal memoir. It acts alone as one of the best autobiographies in hip-hop history, where he vividly rapped about his upbringing from Shawn Carter at Marcy Projects to drug dealer to apex MC.
“Ignorant S**t (feat. Beanie Sigel)”
Hov found immense inspiration from Ridley Scott’s 2007 film American Gangster starring Denzel Washington. The movie follows Frank Lucas, a criminal mastermind who inherits a heroin empire after serving as right-hand man to Harlem gangster Bumpy Johnson.
Jay-Z’s American Gangster, by comparison, thrives in the sheer opulence that comes with being a kingpin. “Ignorant S**t” best defines this, where he raps with Beanie Sigel on the kind of beat you hear when stepping off of a private jet with a glass of the finest champagne.
“Legacy”
One of the best songs Jay-Z could perform to walk off into the sunset. His legacy is already solidified. Now his kids can live off of the hard work he and Beyoncé put in together and watch them blaze their own trails.
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