If you weren’t in New York City this past weekend, you missed out on absolute hip-hop history. The legendary JAY-Z completely shut down the Bronx with a massive three night residency at Yankee Stadium, honoring the 30th anniversary of Reasonable Doubt and the 25th anniversary of The Blueprint. While the entire weekend was packed with surprise guests like Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Usher, it was Sunday night’s “Extra Innings” finale that had the internet in a chokehold.
Our favorite multi hyphenate Harlem girl, Teyana Taylor, stepped onto the legendary stage to fill some massive shoes, delivering Mary J. Blige’s iconic hook on the classic anthem “Can’t Knock the Hustle”. Taking on a Mary record in front of a packed stadium of over 40,000 New Yorkers is alreadyy a high pressure gig, but doing it completely blind or rather… completely deaf… is next level wild.
RELATED: JAY-Z Brings Out Eminem, Pharrell, And Slick Rick On Night 2 Of Yankee Stadium Show
Teyana hopped on Instagram to address the online chatter and kept it a stack with her fans, revealing that she had to power through some serious technical difficulties. Her in-ear monitors and the stage sound system completely cut out on her during the set. Yet, in true superstar fashion, Teyana didn’t let a muted mic stop her shine.
<blockquote>”The sound & in-ears said ‘Not today.’ 😂 But guess what?? The gratitude was louder than any mic could ever be. 🥺 I may not have been able to hear a damnnnnn thanggggg. 😩 But one thing I could do was SEE. I got to see this lil Harlem girl stand beside the GOAT… in Yankee Stadium… in front of over 40,000 people who showed so much love. 🥺🤎”</blockquote>
She continued,
<blockquote>”If you would’ve told this lil Harlem girl that one day she’d share a stage with JAY-Z in one of the most iconic stadiums in the world…. she would’ve never believed you 😩🥺 Father God has a funny way of reminding you just how far you’ve come. One minute you’re caught up in everything that’s going wrong… and the next, He gently reminds you that you’re standing in the middle of a prayer you once whispered as a little girl in Jesus name, Amen.”</blockquote>
Of course her real fans aren’t focused on the negatives. The post quickly became a celebration of Black excellence, with industry heavyweights flooding her comment section. Fashion icon June Ambrose cheered her on, writing, “You crushed it Teyana!! One of one,” while legendary stylist EJ King stood firmly in her corner to make sure her visuals and energy got the respect they deserved.
For Teyana, the night was a spiritual reminder of her journey, as she added, “Jay… THANK YOU @jayz for allowing me to be a part of such an iconic night. Thank you for the opportunity, the trust and the honor. I’ll never take moments like this for granted & I’ll carry this one with me forever.”
Great job Teyana!