JAY-Z played the first of two nights at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Friday, September 4th, continuing the “JAŸ-Z30 Tour” marking 30 years since his the release of his debut album Reasonable Doubt and 25 years since The Blueprint.
Actor Idris Elba opened the night with a spoken-word introduction pulled from American Gangster, before giving way to Hov as he launched into a career-spanning 36-song set. The Brooklyn rap legend began with “Pray” from American Gangster before pivoting to 4:44 for “Bam.” For the entirety of the show, he worked through his catalog backed by a 10-piece band and string section.
For a run of shows built around the anniversary of his first album, the set notably leaned most on his sixth album. Six songs came from The Blueprint — “Izzo (H.O.V.A.),” “U Don’t Know,” “Never Change,” “Song Cry,” “Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love),” and “Girls, Girls, Girls” — while just two came from Reasonable Doubt, with four tracks pulled from The Black Album. The night also saw JAY stitch together medleys of “Dead Presidents” and “Dead Presidents II,” “Where I’m From” and “Marcy Me,” “No Church in the Wild” and “Grammy Family.” Other tracks performed included “Jigga What, Jigga Who,” “Run This Town,” “Empire State of Mind,” “Lucifer,” “99 Problems,” and “Dirt Off Your Shoulder.”
The set also featured guest appearances from DJ Khaled, who joined JAY-Z’s for “GOD DID,” and South London rapper Giggs, who came came out for “Talkin the Hardest” and “Welcome to the Jungle.” However, the night’s biggest moment came when Fugges’ Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean appeared for a three-song mini-set of “Ready or Not,” “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” and “Fu-Gee-La,” all pulled from 1996’s The Score — an album that also turns 30 years old in 2026. From the stage, JAY-Z prasied Fugees for initially bringing him to Europe when he opened for them decades earlier.
September 4th also marked Beyoncé’s birthday, and JAY-Z turned the stadium into a singalong of “Happy Birthday” for his wife, who watched from a suite and turned up on the venue’s screens as the crowd sang along.
To close the set, JAY-Z performed “N**** in Paris,” “Big Pimpin’,” “Public Service Announcement,” and the Linkin Park mashup “Numb/Encore.”
JAY-Z returns to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, September 5th an encore performance. The “JAŸ-Z30 Tour” is a limited run of eight shows across four cities: it launched with three nights at Yankee Stadium in July, and after London, he heads to Stade de France in Saint-Denis in Paris before wrapping with two nights at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on October 23rd and 24th. Look for tickets here.
Jay-Z brought out the Fugees, (Lauryn Hill & Wyclef Jean), to perform ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song’ at his concert tonight in London. pic.twitter.com/lDqa2OveP0
— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 4, 2026
This was the moment Giggs told Jay Z to hop on the Talking the Hardest beat and we got Welcome to the Jungle.
The artistry. pic.twitter.com/kaEW1ODQ7P
— Lawrence (@iKillCuriosity) September 4, 2026
The moment Jay-Z got the crowd at his Sold Out concert in London to sing a happy birthday to Beyoncé. 😍🥺 pic.twitter.com/jTDOK4xvup
— Red Media (@RedMedia_us) September 5, 2026
JAY-Z’s Setlist at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London (September 4th, 2026):
Can I Live
99 Problems
Girls, Girls, Girls / ’03 Bonnie & Clyde
Intro (with Idris Elba)
Pray
Bam
Jigga My N****
Izzo (H.O.V.A.)
Beach Is Better
Fuckwithmeyouknowigotit
Jigga What, Jigga Who
Run This Town
On to the Next One
Empire State of Mind
Family Feud
U Don’t Know
Dead Presidents / Dead Presidents II
Where I’m From / Marcy Me
Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)
Lucifer
No Church in the Wild / Grammy Family
Can I Live
Excuse Me Miss / La-La-La (Excuse Me Miss Again)
I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)
Dirt Off Your Shoulder
I Know
Never Change
Song Cry
GOD DID (with DJ Khaled)
Talkin the Hardest / Welcome to the Jungle (with Giggs)
Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love)
Ready or Not (with Fugees)
Killing Me Softly With His Song (with Fugees)
Fu-Gee-La (with Fugees)
Happy Birthday (to Beyoncé)
N**** in Paris / Big Pimpin’
Public Service Announcement
Numb / Encore
JAY-Z 2026 “JAŸ-Z30” Tour Dates:
09/05 – London, United Kingdom @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
09/10 – Saint-Denis, France @ Stade de France
10/23 – Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium
10/24 – Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium
