Teyana Taylor explains onstage mishap at jayz NYC show
Teyana Taylor says failed sound and in-ear monitors caused the onstage mishap when she filled in for Mary J. Blige during jayz Extra Innings at Yankee Stadium. After viral clips drew internet criticism, the Grammy-nominated entertainer thanked Jay-Z and said her gratitude was louder than any mic.
Key Takeaways
- Taylor sang Mary J. Blige’s part on “Can’t Knock the Hustle” during Jay-Z’s Extra Innings finale at Yankee Stadium.
- She blamed failed sound and in-ear monitors after social media criticized the viral clips.
- In a July 13 Instagram post, she stressed gratitude and thanked Jay-Z for the trust and honor.
- Beyoncé had performed the same hook with Jay-Z two nights earlier in the residency.
What happened during the jayz Yankee Stadium finale?
On the third night of Jay-Z’s Yankee Stadium residency, billed as Extra Innings, Teyana Taylor joined him to sing the chorus of his 1996 track “Can’t Knock the Hustle,” the Reasonable Doubt opener featuring Mary J. Blige.
According to USA Today, videos of the performance spread quickly online, and some viewers criticized her effort. VICE reported that she took Blige’s spot during Hov’s grand finale, hit clear audio trouble, and still pushed through the set.
The appearance put a Harlem-raised star beside one of hip-hop’s biggest names in front of a stadium crowd Taylor later put at more than 40,000.
Why did Teyana Taylor say the performance went wrong?
Taylor answered the backlash in an Instagram post on Monday, July 13, posting photos from the night plus a clip of her rehearsing the record. She wrote that the sound and in-ears “said ‘Not today,’” and that she “may not have been able to hear a damnnnnn thanggggg.”
Even without working monitors, she said she could still “SEE” what the night meant: a “lil Harlem girl” standing beside “the GOAT” in Yankee Stadium while fans “showed so much love.”
That explanation reframed the viral moment as a tech failure rather than a lack of prep, especially after she shared rehearsal footage alongside the caption.
How did she respond to Jay-Z and the online pile-on?
Taylor kept the focus on gratitude. She said she never would have believed she would share a stage with Jay-Z in one of the world’s most iconic stadiums, adding that “Father God has a funny way of reminding you just how far you’ve come.”
She thanked Jay-Z for “the opportunity, the trust, and the honor,” saying she will never take moments like this for granted and will “carry this one with me forever.” She also wished a happy 30th anniversary to the albums that “changed the culture forever.”
USA Today noted Beyoncé Knowles-Carter had surprised fans by singing the same Blige hook with Jay-Z two nights before, then returned on Extra Innings for “Drunk in Love.” Other guests that night included Rihanna, Usher, Pharrell Williams, Jadakiss, and Fat Joe.
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