They performed some never-before-seen Illmatic- Reasonable Doubt mashups: Nas’ “The World Is Yours” crescendoed into the hook on “Dead Presidents II” with the two taking turns rapping each other’s verses and playing hype-men for one another. Together, the two New York rap kings seemed to reimagine a city where their riff never ruptured any fault lines. He was more exacting about which songs he played and how he played them, all the way through a three-song suite from American Gangster that ended with “Success” and culminated in an appearance with fellow local legend and foe-turned-friend Nas. He’s always been a thoughtful live performer, but it’s hard to imagine that Beyoncé’s obsessive attention to detail hasn’t rubbed off on him a little.

Throughout the epic set, song sequences were carefully thought-out, each live orchestration stunning. It was a clinic for one of rap’s great rappers, the reluctant technician. Adorned in a blue tuxedo and backed by a full band dressed to mirror him, his acumen was on full display.

JAY-Z once rapped that if skills sold he’d probably be “lyrically Talib Kweli”: “Truthfully I wanna rhyme like Common Sense/But I did five mil-I ain’t been rhyming like Common since.” This B-Sides show was a peek into that alternate universe. So what better setting for the second installment than the historic Webster Hall, which reopened on Friday for its first show in nearly two years? They offer a place where he can be free from the obligation of playing “03 Bonnie & Clyde,” “Holy Grail,” and “Empire State of Mind.” The idea is for one of New York’s most accomplished rappers to get back to his roots.

Leaning heavily on deep cuts and fan favorites, his B-Sides shows exist uniquely outside of the star’s outsized public standing, his massive solo shows at arenas like Madison Square Garden, or his collaborative tours with Beyoncé.

Jay z on to the next one video analysis