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

BYGabriel Bras Nevares18.9K Views
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Whether it was a joke or a true confrontation, the hip-hop legend tried to pull the star actor back during a Lakers game.

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.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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