Jay-Z’s final Yankee Stadium concert rocked by security breach and massive delay

Jay-Z’s third and final concert at New York’s Yankee Stadium was delayed for nearly four hours on Sunday night after a security breach outside the venue led to a temporary lockdown.

The concert, scheduled to begin in the evening, did not get underway until shortly after midnight. Addressing the crowd when he finally took the stage, Jay-Z thanked fans for waiting and apologized for the delay.

“There was like ten thousand people outside,” he told the audience. “They closed all the doors because people rushed the door, and I didn’t want to start music and people get trampled. I’m really sorry for the inconvenience.”

According to ABC7 New York, citing a police source, a large number of fans rushed multiple stadium gates and entered without being screened by security. The incident reportedly prompted officials to lock down the venue, preventing fans from entering or leaving until the situation was brought under control.

Videos circulating on social media showed large crowds gathered outside the stadium during the delay. One widely shared clip also appeared to show celebrities including A$AP Rocky, Charlamagne Tha God and Fabolous waiting outside the venue.

Representatives for Jay-Z and concert promoter Live Nation had not commented on the incident at the time of writing.

The delayed performance concluded a three-night residency celebrating milestones in Jay-Z’s career. The opening night, marking the 30th anniversary of Reasonable Doubt, featured appearances from Beyoncé, Blue Ivy Carter, Nas and Alicia Keys. The second night, celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Blueprint, included guest performances by Eminem and Pharrell.