Jay-Z Won’t Let Us Forget Who He Is
On May 30, 2026, Jay-Z did his first headliner solo show in a few years with The Roots. Rocking a massive fro, all black (his signature look), and black shades, Jay made his presence known at one of the largest Black festivals in the country.
Jay’s set list consisted of every classic song you could think of, and with that, he even brought out his old group, State Property. Other surprise guests featured Jazmine Sullivan, Bilal, and Meek Mill.
Here’s the night’s set list:
Hovi Baby
Freestyle
U Don’t Know
Beach Is Better
F— withmeyouknowigotit
Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator 99)
Run This Town
Jigga My Nigga
No Church in the Wild (ft. Bilal)
Where I’m From + Marcy Me (mash up)
Dirt Off Your Shoulder
I Know
Never Change
Empire State of Mind + Down For My Niggas (mash up)
Picasso Baby
Feelin’ It (ft. Jazmine Sullivan)
Can I Live
The Story of OJ
Dead Presidents ALL THREE VERSIONS
Excuse Me Miss + La La La (mash up)
You, Me, Him and Her (ft. Beanie Sigel, Memphis Bleek)
Gotta Have It (ft. Beanie Sigel, Peedi Crakk)
Roc the Mic (ft. Beanie Sigel, Freeway)
Flipside (ft. Freeway)
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop (ft. Young Gunz)
What We Do (ft. Beanie Sigel, Freeway)
Roc Boys (and the Winner Is…)
I Just Wanna Love You (Give It 2 Me)
Dreams and Nightmares (ft. Meek Mill)
N*ggas In Paris + Big Pimpin’ (mash up)
Public Service Announcement (Interlude)
Now, if you ask me, this is a huge setup for a tour. I would think this show is just Jay testing the waters, along with his other scheduled shows to celebrate 30 years of Reasonable Doubt. I wouldn’t be surprised if tour dates drop after the Reasonable Doubt show dates or maybe an album. Whatever happens, it will be the end for Jay and something no hip-hop fan will want to miss.
The Freestyle Everyone Was Waiting For
The second song in this setlist wasn’t a song but an actual Freestyle that addressed everyone who ever had something about Jay and/or his family.
Kanye, Drake, Nicki, Dame Dash, Jaguar… the main ones. Not one person who had something to say missed his words, and I think more people should put respect on the master lyricist’s name because acting like Jay-Z isn’t the greatest rapper alive, like he isn’t the literal Blueprint, is insanity on another level. Read the lyrics and watch the live performance, and tell me this doesn’t feel like HOV is back.
You can watch the full performance here, and I hope you are just as excited as I am if not more, for HOVA’s return to the music business and stage. I hope these performances light that fire again and we get more from him. It does feel like this is a Jay-Z year for us. We’re back up Hip-Hop OGs!
“I miss this shit! I ain’t gone lie! I MISS THIS SHIT!””
