JAŸ-Z & Swizz Beatz Lead DMX Tribute At Yankee Stadium

BY Aron A.
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Dec 8, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (left) talks with Jay Z (right) during the game against
Dec 8, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (left) talks with Jay Z (right) during the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images/USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
RIP X.

JAŸ-Z’s Yankee Stadium takeover was basically the only thing people were talking about this weekend. Across three nights, JAŸ brought out the stars and some trusted collaborators from his career to help celebrate The Blueprint and Reasonable Doubt. Though nights one and two largely consisted of guests who appeared on both projects in some capacity, Sunday night’s “Extra Inning” festivities brought out all the stars, from Beyoncé and Rihanna to Fat Joe and Jadakiss.

Unfortunately, the evening went down without the presence of another New York legend, DMX, who passed away in 2021. In honor of his memory, JAŸ brought out Swizz Beatz, and the two came through with a tribute to the Yonkers legend. The two played “Ruff Ryders Anthem” to a crowd singing along word for word. 

Of course, Hov and X’s relationship had its ups and downs. While JAŸ helped clear X’s debt with Def Jam, the “Where The Hood At” MC once claimed that Hov tried to hold him back while he was the president of the label. X users quickly referred to an interview with The Breakfast Club where DMX went into detail about their relationship. 

JAŸ-Z & Swizz Beatz Celebrate Storied Relationship

During Swizz Beatz’s appearance on stage, the two went through some of their biggest collaborations to date. After “Ruff Ryders Anthem,” they slid through “Welcome To The Jungle,” “So Appallaed,” “Jigga My N***a,” and “On To The Next One.” The medley alone certainly reminded us of all the hits the two have together. 

In addition to Swizz Beatz, night three saw JAŸ bring out Beyoncé, Rihanna, Jadakiss, Fat Joe, Jeezy, Usher, and more. It was undoubtedly a weekend that lived up to that anticipation that had been building for the past few months. Check out the clip of JAŸ and Swizz Beatz’s tribute above and sound off with your thoughts in the comments.

About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.

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