Jay-Z, also known as Shawn Carter, Hov, and Jigga-Man, is a self-proclaimed mogul to the music world. Jay-Z is the former CEO of Def Jam Records and has sold 26 million units in the United States and 50 million worldwide. The Blueprint album, which was proclaimed by critics to be one the greatest, was written in two days. In 2003, after a long and successful career, Jay-Z decided to do an autobiographical retirement album, Fade to Black, which was commemorated with concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City as a charity event.
On November 25, 2003, Jay-Z sold out the Madison Square Garden in what was said to be in approximately four minutes. The set-up crew, known as the IU’s were mainly dressed in light-blue shirts and dark blue pants, perhaps Dickies. There were hundreds of chairs brought in on forklifts for floor seating and a huge section was open for the technical crew. Regular security was dressed in black whereas onstage security was dressed in street clothes. The song selections were structured according to what Jay-Z rapped about on the previous song or the commentary of the particular a subject matter he did in between them. In the middle of the show, Jay had begun to cover songs from his first album in which he changed into a black, pin-stripe tuxedo. Perhaps this was a silent statement that symbolized how he came from nothing living in Marcy Houses Projects in New York to something now performing the Madison Square Garden because for a while, Madison Square Garden would not allow hip-hop artist to perform in their stadium since the early 80s. This show featured a list of well-known artist in the music industry such as Mary J. Blige, Memphis Bleak, Missy Elliot, Beyonce, R Kelly, Foxy Brown, Beanie Sigel, and a few more well-known artists. With a rooster of this nature, the backstage was sure to be chaotic.
The backstage was not as glamorous as fans probably assumes. It was just as subtle as the brick hallways and concrete ceilings in other parts of the building. The backstage seemed over-crowded with several artists who were featured on the album, but did not perform at the concert along with the family, friends, make-up and wardrobe crew, etc. One of Jay’s lead security men could not get backstage because of the front door security men, contraband or weapons perhaps? GhostFace Killah, who was also featured in the concert, was slightly aggravated because he did not have a dressing room but from personal observation, he was in a mind altering state which probably diminished his need for one. Champagne was served on a regular let-out table and artist and friends toasted to a successful night onstage.
