JAY-Z was a rapper rising the ranks and taking on any opponents in his way before becoming a millionaire and one of Hip Hop’s G.O.A.T.s. In June 2001, Hov was one of the hottest performers on the scene, and to set himself apart from the competition, he performed as the main headliner at Hot 97’s Summer Jam.
JAY-spectacular Z’s performance would propel him even higher into the spotlight, while also starting one of Hip Hop’s most infamous feuds between him and Nas. Only brief bits of that night have been provided to the public, along with innumerable soundbites and interviews from those in attendance, but now, due to a YouTube post on Tuesday, fans may finally see it in its entirety for the first time (April 12).
The full 58-minute concert, which includes one of the wildest Hip Hop moments of all time, was uploaded to YouTube by HipHopVCR. JAY-Z startled the Nassau Coliseum audience by bringing out the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson, on stage in front of a rowdy throng towards the end of his performance.
Fans have watched the momentous event before, but not in the clarity that this upload provides. The film also shows Hov playing “Takeover” for the first time on stage, as he projected images of Mobb Deep’s late Prodigy as a child dancer onto the Summer Jam screen. The crowd erupted as Jay delivered the second verse a capella, and the crowd erupted when he took digs at Nas.
There’s no indication on who caught the complete concert in its entirety, but considering all the stories they’ve heard over the years about that great night on June 28, 2001, Hip Hop fans are glad to whoever it was. JAY-Z praised Michael Jackson’s performance as a career highlight in a 2003 interview with MTV News.
“It was actually easier [to set-up] than what people would think,” he said. “It wasn’t even difficult. I didn’t have to call a hundred times and babysit the situation.”
JAY-Z’s whole set may be seen here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v48TghihAM
