By re-opening Webster Hall last night with his "B Sides 2" concert, Jay-Z was doing right by his fellow New Yorkers. The significance of Webster Hall might not mean anything to the common denominator, but within NYC, the venue strikes a special balance between arts & culture movements of old, and real-time historical events.
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For added context, the initial "B Side" took place at Terminal 5 in 2015, several years after had been converted to accommodate concert bookings (in the early 2000s). Furthermore, the last Webster Hall's doors were open to the public, it was for an Action Bronson show in August of 2017. And thus, Webster Hall's re-opening was booked accordingly, with a plethora of touchstone moments, like Cam'ron coming to terms with Jay-Z stage, or Nas doing the same, furthering a narrative that "bygones be bygones" in the post-Roc-A-Fella era.
Nas' invitation saw him perform "The World Is Yours" by his lonesome, before being joined onstage by the man of the hour himself, for an anachronistic duet pitting Jigga with the man he sampled on "Dead Presidents II." The very next, Nas reflected upon the special moment in an Instagram post address to his former rival.
"You represent an era when albums were very raw, bold and true to self...and you still do! Last night was Epic, you gave life to songs that get forgotten or slept on ...it was an honor to share the stage with you and to be a part of Bsides," wrote Nas in appreciation of the gesture, and Jiggaman's legacy.