Guess Who’s Back? Jay Z & Beanie Sigel Reunite On Stage
Throughout the 2000s, Jay Z and Beanie Sigel made history together. The Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder and one of the label’s star pupils released a number of hit songs together, including “Guess Who’s Back?,” “Ignorant Shit Remix,” and “1-900-HUSTLER,” among others.
They appeared on each others’ albums, and toured together. However, for the better part of the last decade, it’s been bad blood between Beans and Hov. Just over six months removed from a near-fatal shooting of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania MC in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Beanie Sigel appeared on stage with his mentor. At New York City’s Terminal 5 Saturday (May 16), Jay Z welcomed Beanie Sigel and State Property (Freeway, Young Chris, Neef, Oschino, Peedi Crakk) to the stage for his TIDAL B-Sides Concert.
This marks a reunion after more than six years. While tensions reportedly flared in the mid-2000s, when Sigel aligned with Dame Dash’s short-lived Damon Dash Music Group to release 2005’s The B.Coming in lieu of Jay. In 2009, while Beans publicly aligned with 50 Cent and G-Unit, he began dissing his onetime mentor in interviews.
“Backed by a band that perfected funk flow and punk malice, Jay seemed rejuvenated and reconnected to his tougher, hungrier days. He sweated and smirked while nailing every nuance of lesser-knowns classics like ‘Never Change,’ ‘Dead Presidents I,’ ‘Murda Murda’ and a stripped-down ’22 Twos’,” wrote The New York Daily News of The B-Sides Concert.
While it has been nearly a dozen years since The Chain Gang, Vol. 2, State Property has recorded together as of late. Additionally, Damon Dash (Jay’s estranged Roc-A-Fella partner) has recently touted plans for a State Property 3 film.
Other former Roc-A-Fella Records artists and affiliates that were present included Memphis Bleek, Just Blaze and Young Guru. Jay Electronica, signed to Roc Nation, was also on hand.
Did you sense this armistice coming? Who benefits more from the restored relationship, Jay Z or Beanie Sigel?
Related: Beanie Sigel, Freeway, Peedi Crakk & Young Chris Get Mean On A New State Property Track (Audio)