Jay-Z opened a two-show run at SoFi Stadium with a 33-song set that moved broadly through his catalog and made room for several guest appearances. Blue Ivy Carter joined him for “The Story of O.J.” and “Dead Presidents,” while Scarface appeared for “This Can’t Be Life” and “Mind Playing Tricks on Me.” DJ Khaled and John Legend were also part of the closing “God Did.”
The reported setlist reads less like a tour behind one release than a career-spanning selection: early material, major singles, collaborative tracks and later-era songs all sit in the same sequence. It began with “Hovi Baby” and “Izzo (H.O.V.A.),” and its final stretch included “Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love),” “Empire State of Mind,” a “N****s in Paris / Big Pimpin’” pairing, and “God Did.”
There was also a tribute to Nipsey Hussle. No further details on the form or placement of that homage were provided, so it is best understood as a reported part of the evening rather than a confirmed addition to the song-by-song list.
A set built around range rather than one era
A 33-track stadium set has a practical purpose: it gives an artist with a large body of work space to represent different periods without making the entire show dependent on one album or sound. Here, songs such as “Can I Live,” “Dead Presidents,” “Where I’m From” and “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” appeared alongside “Run This Town,” “On to the Next One,” “The Story of O.J.” and “God Did.”
That matters because a stadium crowd is not necessarily a single-audience proposition. Some attendees may be there for foundational tracks; others may know the biggest crossover records or high-profile collaborations. A catalog-driven sequence can accommodate those overlapping entry points. It also gives the performance an arc based on recognition and momentum rather than a strict chronological retelling.
The list included several medleys or combined segments: “Excuse Me Miss / La-La-La (Excuse Me Miss Again),” “Give It to Me / Money, Cash, Hoes,” and “N****s in Paris / Big Pimpin’.” In concert terms, that kind of pairing generally means the show’s structure is designed around transitions and condensed highlights, rather than treating every listed title as a separate, full-length performance. The supplied setlist identifies the combinations, but does not specify their arrangements or running times.
Jay-Z’s first night arrives amid reports linking him to a Super Bowl performance in February. Those reports remain separate from the confirmed information about the SoFi Stadium show. The available details establish the 33-song opening-night performance and its guests; they do not confirm what a future Super Bowl appearance would involve.
Blue Ivy and Scarface framed two distinct setlist moments
Blue Ivy Carter’s appearances came on “The Story of O.J.” and “Dead Presidents.” Placing her on two songs rather than a single cameo made her part of a recognizable section of the show, bridging a later Jay-Z track with one of the earlier catalog selections. The setlist does not describe what each appearance entailed, but it clearly credits her on both titles.
Scarface’s two-song section similarly had a defined shape. He joined “This Can’t Be Life” before “Mind Playing Tricks on Me,” linking a Jay-Z song to a track associated with Scarface’s own musical history. The pairing is notable because it uses a guest slot to create a conversation between catalogs rather than simply inserting a surprise appearance into a hit.
DJ Khaled and John Legend arrived for “God Did,” the final listed song. As a closer, it placed the show’s largest multi-guest moment at the end of the night. The setlist alone cannot tell us whether any guest performed a full verse, chorus or partial segment, but it does confirm their presence for the song.
Guest appearances can be easy to overstate when only a setlist is available. What is confirmed here is who was credited on which songs. What is not established is the length of each appearance, whether other unlisted people took part, or whether the second show will repeat the same structure.
The full reported Night One setlist
- Hovi Baby
- Izzo (H.O.V.A.)
- Beach Is Better
- FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt
- N**** What, N**** Who (Originator 99)
- Run This Town
- The Story of O.J. (with Blue Ivy Carter)
- Dead Presidents (with Blue Ivy Carter)
- Where I’m From
- Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)
- Lucifer
- No Church In the Wild
- Can I Live
- Family Feud
- U Don’t Know
- On to the Next One
- Clique
- Dirt Off Your Shoulder
- I Know
- Never Change
- This Can’t Be Life (with Scarface)
- Mind Playing Tricks on Me (with Scarface)
- Song Cry
- 99 Problems
- Girls, Girls, Girls
- Excuse Me Miss / La-La-La (Excuse Me Miss Again)
- Change the Game
- Give It to Me / Money, Cash, Hoes
- Jigga My N****
- Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love)
- Empire State of Mind
- N****s in Paris / Big Pimpin’
- God Did (with DJ Khaled and John Legend)
Why the closing run stands out
The final portion of the list is particularly dense with songs that carry immediate name recognition: “99 Problems,” “Girls, Girls, Girls,” “Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love)” and “Empire State of Mind” all appear before the multi-part closing sequence. For a stadium show, placing familiar titles late can help preserve energy through the finish, even when a performance has already covered substantial ground.
“Empire State of Mind” is especially significant in the sequence because it precedes the final collaborations rather than serving as the last listed number. The decision, at least on paper, suggests the night did not treat one signature hit as an endpoint. Instead, it continued into “N****s in Paris / Big Pimpin’” and ended with “God Did,” leaving the final position to a guest-assisted track.
That sequencing is an observation about the published order, not evidence of a fixed creative blueprint for Night Two. The second SoFi Stadium show could preserve, adjust or substantially change the set. No Night Two setlist is included in the available information.
What fans can take from the first night
The clearest takeaway is breadth. The opening show was not limited to one Jay-Z period, one style of song or one guest dynamic. Blue Ivy Carter’s two appearances, Scarface’s two-song section and the DJ Khaled–John Legend finale gave the program distinct event moments, while the 33 titles supplied the catalog weight around them.
For readers tracking the wider hip-hop release calendar, Joking Joystick has also covered Offset’s revised “GMFU” release date. That is a separate story, but it underscores how quickly headline performances and release schedules can overlap in the genre’s news cycle.
For now, the documented record of SoFi Stadium Night One is straightforward: 33 songs, a tribute to Nipsey Hussle, and appearances by Blue Ivy Carter, Scarface, DJ Khaled and John Legend. Everything beyond that—including how the second show may differ and whether the Super Bowl reports develop—remains to be seen.
