Jay-Z issues statement after concert thrown into chaos with fans 'passing out and throwing up'

Jay-Z has spoken out after the final night of his record-breaking Yankee Stadium residency was thrown into disarray, with fans reportedly fainting and throwing up outside the venue as chaos unfolded at the gates.

The rapper, whose real name is Shawn Corey Carter, wrapped up a three-night run at the New York stadium between July 10 and July 12, with Saturday's show setting an all-time record for tickets sold at the venue, at 45,832, according to the Mirror US.

But Sunday's closing night was hit by a near four-hour delay after a huge crowd of people without tickets attempted to force their way into the stadium, pushing the start time back from 8pm to after midnight.

In a joint statement issued alongside the New York Yankees, Roc Nation and Live Nation, Jay-Z explained that "hundreds of individuals in large groups" who did not have tickets to the show had "stormed over peaceful ticketholders," with some managing to "breach security" entirely. As a result, gates at every entrance to the stadium were shut for an extended period while officials worked to bring the situation under control.

Why was the Jay-Z concert delayed?

The statement said that with the "thoughtful guidance of the NYPD," gates were eventually reopened "cautiously and carefully" to ensure the safety of everyone both inside and outside the stadium, with the Yankees, Roc Nation and Live Nation thanking police and stadium security for prioritising attendees' welfare throughout the night.

Fans who had legitimately purchased tickets described scenes of confusion and frustration as they struggled to get into a show they'd paid for.

Rosalynn Glover, who had flown in from Atlanta for the concert, told Eyewitness News that she and others were left stunned by what they witnessed at the gates.

"We got here a little after 8, went to Gate 2, they bum rushed Gate 2. Bum rushed," she said.

"People went past security, were not checked and got into the stadium."

She added that staff at Gate 4 appeared to find the situation amusing rather than alarming, claiming they were 'laughing' and 'taunting' ticketholders who had travelled to see the show.

What happened outside Yankee Stadium during the Jay-Z concert?

Social media footage from the night showed thousands of fans still waiting outside long after the scheduled 8pm start time, with one person claiming online that "hundreds of fans mobbed the place and got in for free" before the doors were locked to everyone else.

Other posts on X described people fainting, vomiting and calling for medics amid the crush, with one user branding the scenes 'insane, inhumane and very dangerous.'

Police eventually reopened the gates shortly before 10pm, patrolling each entrance as fans were let back in, and Jay-Z ultimately took to the stage at around 12:15am to apologise for the delay, telling the crowd it had been necessary to avoid a trampling incident.

The concert series, billed as Jay-Z 30, marked 30 years since the release of his debut album Reasonable Doubt and 25 years since The Blueprint.