Teyana Taylor addressed online commentary surrounding her performance on the third night of Jay-Z’s Yankee Stadium residency.
During the “Extra Innings” concert over the weekend, the Grammy-nominated entertainer appeared onstage alongside Jay-Z to sing the chorus of his 1996 song “Can’t Knock the Hustle.” Beyoncé Knowles-Carter notably surprised fans when she popped out to do the song with the emcee two nights before.
Videos of Taylor’s performance went viral on social media, with some criticizing her effort. In an Instagram post on Monday, July 13, Taylor shared photos from the night and a clip of her rehearsing the record, which was a single from Jay-Z’s debut album “Reasonable Doubt” featuring legendary songstress Mary J. Blige.
The “Gonna Love Me” singer clarified that she experienced technical issues, but expressed gratitude for the opportunity.
“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,” Taylor wrote in the caption.
“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,” she continued. “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.”
Taylor was one of many surprise guests during Jay-Z’s ‘Extra Innings’ show
Jay-Z took over Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, for three nights to celebrate his acclaimed career and the anniversary of his albums, “Reasonable Doubt” and “The Blueprint.”
In addition to Taylor, his “Extra Innings” show featured surprise performances from industry giants including Rihanna, Usher, Pharrell Williams, Jadakiss, Fat Joe and many more. Beyoncé also had the Beyhive buzzing a second time when she performed “Drunk in Love” with Jay-Z.
Taylor thanked Jay-Z for including her in what she called 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. Happy 30th anniversary to the albums that changed the culture forever.”
