The media blitz surrounding RiRi (as she's known affectionately to fans) has only begun, but expect it to hit warp speed now that she's sounded off on her side of the story regarding Chris Brown and his attack on her in February, which she did last week on 20/20 with Diane Sawyer. Facing it head on, it was an unblinkingly honest (and media savvy) re-emergence ahead of the release of her new album Rated R dropping November 23.
Don't forget Jay-Z's celebrity fans, including Jamie Foxx, James Blunt, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel. My friends and I squealed when Ellen Pompeo threw up the Roc to us when we yelled her name! She looked fabulous and was chatting with husband, Chris. Nicole Richie joined her friend, DJ Samantha Ronson.
How about the fantastic crowd that reflected the diversity of a Jay-Z fan. Joined by my close friends, during intermissions we watched the "average Jay-Z fan": parents with kids, an elderly woman with a cane, preppies, hipsters, executives with loosened ties, moms with babies wearing ear protection. Even within UCLA walls, a bunch of USC kids! Every race, orientation and creed. I don't know many artists that can pull such a varied crowd together and keep everyone on their feet and singing in unison.
His bravado and swagger is imbued in everything from his dress to his lyrics and delivery. With his multifaceted, multimedia (the stage set reflect his undeniable pride for being a Brooklyn native with an LCD-illuminated New York skyline) presentation, he delivered hit after hit in a two-hour set where he barely took a breath.
Most of us are just inspired. What he's accomplished has exceeded the expectations for a hip-hop artist. Tiptoeing into his 40s, he's emerged as this new kind of lyrical hero. Each lyric with every new album reflects his perspective, his views, his life. He's just telling you how he sees things through his lens. It just happens to have gone from supermarket shades to Louis Vuitton eyewear in about 18 years time. Despite all the dazzle, Jay-Z still connects with audiences in a way that shows his maturity as an artist. He thanked us repeatedly for being there when the pleasure really was all ours.
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