Jay-Z Hangs With Denzel Washington, Holds Him Back At Lakers Game

Whether it was a joke or a true confrontation, the hip-hop legend tried to pull the star actor back during a Lakers game.

BYGabriel Bras Nevares

Jay-Z and Denzel Washington recently had a good time at the Lakers game, although maybe something almost went down. Moreover, such suspicion comes from a recently surfaced video of the two together. In the clip, the New York MC talks to Denzel as the latter approaches a conversation with somebody else. For what it's worth, the star actor seems fiery, but that might just be his professional chops. Then, Jay tries to pull him back from that conversation, which is unclear whether it's a light, playful, or legitimately confrontational. Still, as Washington pushes Jay away, he laughs and greets someone else. Not long after, the two return to their one-on-one.

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 20: (U.S. TABS OUT) Actor Denzel Washington (L) and rapper Jay-Z appear onstage during MTV's Total Request Live at the MTV Times Square Studios on November 20, 2006 in New York City. (Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images)

Furthermore, both attended the soon-to-be legendary game in which LeBron James broke the all-time NBA scoring record. As such, many fans and publications online shared interactions between the Lakers star and the long-reigning MC. While plenty of other stars surely attended, getting Hov's praise and respect is a big moment for any athlete. Or person, for that matter. Out of all the stars in Hollywood, though, Denzel is absolutely on a similarly iconic level. After so many iconic roles in films like Training Day and American Gangster, he's one of the most respected names in the business.

Moreover, Jay had much to celebrate, following a massive week full of big moments and high-profile appearances. For example, he performed the track "GOD DID" alongside DJ Khaled, Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, John Legend, and Fridayy at the Grammys. Also, his attendance gave us one of the more notable and perhaps iconic moments at the 65th annual awards ceremony. While Method Man graced the stage for hip-hop's 50th anniversary celebration, Hov rapped "Method Man" word-for-word from the crowd. Even if you're not a huge rap listener, it was a pretty sweet and borderline emotional moment. After all, these artists are just as big of a fan as anyone else could be.

Meanwhile, hopefully the interaction between Jay-Z and Denzel Washington was more in jest than in rage. Most people can only dream of knowing what goes on courtside at the Lakers. For now, they can just bask in the FOMO and look forward to more larger-than-life celebrity meet-ups. On that note, come back to HNHH for the latest on Jay-Z, Denzel Washington, and famous faces sitting courtside.

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About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started in 2022 as a weekend writer and, since joining the team full-time, has developed a strong knowledge in hip-hop news and releases. Whether it’s regular coverage or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to search for the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him the most is finding pop culture stories of interest, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip-hop and its contemporary output. Specifically, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing, and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. As a proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up-to-date with the archipelago’s local scene and its biggest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie, and beyond. Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced multiple short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on a variety of genres and musical figures. Hardcore punk and Go-go music defined much of his coverage during his time at the George Washington University in D.C. His favorite hip-hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.