What would Bey think? Tuesday, Oct. 20, was a big night for Jay Z. The Brooklyn, N.Y. native returned home to throw a blowout concert at Barclays Center in support of his music streaming service, Tidal. But first he appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where fans got a taste of HOVA’s rap history.
When host Kimmel asked the rapper to recall his first-ever show, Jay, 45, replied, “I forgot the lyrics. The worst show ever.”
Sadly, there was no footage from this event, but Kimmel did unearth a throwback clip of his first television performance with Big Daddy Kane.
The segment, which looks like it comes from the early ‘90s, features a very young Jay Z wearing a striped red and white polo shirt with a high top fade haircut.
“Here I am, the man. I’m swinging and singing and bringing the mic, again,” Jay speedily raps through his freestyle.
“That was embarrassing,” the Grammy winner told Kimmel after the clip aired. “The haircut, the shirt, I mean.”
Later in the evening, Jay took the stage at Barclays Center, performing “Holy Grail” with his wife, Beyonce, and closing the show with his hit “Empire State of Mind.”
Watch the video now to see his funny reaction!