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Beyoncé, Jay-Z Display Real Love in North American "OTR II" Tour Kick-Off

Photo provided by LiveNation

Attending On The Run II, one may have expected more Bey-hive members than Jay-Z stans and that assumption would be accurate.  So let me put it on record that I am more of a Jay fan than a Bey fan.. I have nothing against Beyoncé whatsoever.  She has solidified her position as one of the best performers of our time but Jigga?! This guy is the goat.  

Photo provided by LiveNation

It took me about 45 minutes to get through traffic just to park blocks away, not to mention the show didn't start until 7:30 pm and I had parked at 5:30 pm.  When I walked into First Energy Stadium the vibe was surreal; you had everyone from hip-hop fans to self-proclaimed Bey-Hive Sergeant Generals and Commanders. Women walking around in leotards and heels, Bey inspired bedazzled shirts and lace fronts.  Youtube sensations and Beyoncé discovered artists, Chloe x Halle opened the show with several selections from their debut album, The Kids Are Alright.  The girls represented their mentor well by beautifully harmonizing each chord, engaging the (although scarce) crowd and playfully dancing. 

 

Photo provided by LiveNation

DJ Khaled was a surprise to most when he came out after a brief video montage.  The "And Another One" DJ not only brought the house down by spinning a selection of hits he's had the honor of either producing or writing but his energy is pretty much how he is on social media lol. He started his set off with none other than "All I Do is Win".  DJ Khaled not only danced but he dropped some classic joints that after awhile it felt like you were at a house party. "Father of Ashad" soon come!

At 9:06 pm it was showtime!  As the screen displayed the words "This is real life on the Run II." Photos of Jay and Bey pan in "The Gangster and the Queen".  Photos of Bey and Jay each holding 2 little brown babies, Sir and Rumi. "The love story".

My personal iPhone photo

Photo provided by LiveNation

They both emerged holding hands donned in all white while the crowd went into hysteria.  They opened the show with Beyoncé belting “.. but I still don't know why, why I love it so much...” Jay-Z came in with his verse which went into Part II (On The Run) as they did a slow 2 step while gazing into each other’s eyes. 03’ Bonnie & Clyde comes on and they both descended stairs while the huge screen in the back displays a beach short film as an interlude.  The entire show had everything; from bright lights, fire displays, live musicians (special emphasis on the female musicians - trumpet players, guitarist and drummer) huge screens, a catwalk with a conveyor belt, dancers (Bey's dancers, hip-hop and ballet), a floating stage, interludes that played out like movies and a setlist that followed a true love story.  What do I mean by a true love story?  The entire setlist told a story: Man and woman meet, man and woman fall in love, man and woman are on top of the world, man f*cks up, man is sorry he did it, woman is in pain and resents him, woman leaves, man tries to win her back, women feels empowered, man gets his sh*t together, man and woman work on it, man and woman are an unstoppable force and what's better than 1 millionaire? TWOOOO ...

Listen here.. I also spoke with a colleague of mine and she brought it to my attention that Beyoncé was moving kind of pregnant during the show.  Hmmm.. even though the twins haven't celebrated their first birthday yet, could Bey be pregnant again?  I'll let ya'll marinate on that one.

Of course, during Jay-Z's performance he brought his own OG steez to it.  The beat to 99 Problems dropped and a video montage played on the screen of famous mugshots such as Kimora Lee Simmons, 50 Cent, Meek Mill, Left Eye, Nicki Minaj, Angela Davis, David Bowie and of course Shawn Carter himself.  So much emotion was running through the crowd as a girl in front of me passed out from dehydration.  The people around her called a medic while her friends poured water on her to help wake her back up.  Yes, it was just that exciting. When Queen Bey sang I Care, Jay-Z rapped a piece of his verse from 4:44 .. "I suck at love, I think I need a do-over I will be emotionally available if I invited you over.."

My personal iPhone photo

The concert was amazing.  I've seen Jay-Z perform a few times by himself but I can say that seeing them together, Beyoncé forces him to step his game up.  I mean, isn't that what women are supposed to do anyway? lol

They vibed harmoniously together and you could feel every emotion that they both were going through in each song rapped or sang. 

I MIGHT have to pull up a seat at the table with the hive now.