Justin Timberlake and Jay Z Delivered More Big Hits Than the Dolphins in Miami

Justin Timberlake and Jay Z

Friday, August 16, 2013

For a second-rate basketball team, there were a disproportionate number of Brooklyn Nets jerseys at Sun Life Stadium last night. Well, until you remember that Jay Z, the co-headliner of the evening's Legends of the Summer tour, is a former minority owner of that NBA team.

His partner-in-rhyme Justin Timberlake still owns a stake of an pro b-ball team, the Memphis Grizzlies, even if no one was wearing that team's merchandise. Still, it all makes you wonder if their 12-city stadium tour might have been a scouting trip for the duo to purchase an NFL squad.

Because, if the rumors are true and they were both pocketing a million dollars a show each, they could soon afford a team. So why not buy Sun Life's main tenant, the Miami Dolphins?

See also:

-Justin Timberlake's Priceless Miami Aftershow: A 50-Photo Recap

In their two-hour-plus set, Justin Timberlake and Jay Z brought the crowd more excitement than the stadium has seen in years, delivering more big hits than a full season of the Dolphins' defense.

Twenty years ago, JT and Jay would have been an unlikely match, The Mouseketeer and the crack slinger. But on this evening, they were equals. From the first song, "Holy Grail," Timberlake took the left of the stage and Jay Z the right. They stood under screens displaying Greco-Roman sculptures. And they shared a massive backing band, set up in three tiers. There were no breaks between sets. A Jay Z song would segue into a Timberlake number.

Now, Hova is known to be musically promiscuous, willing to collaborate with anybody. He has toured and recorded with partners such as Linkin Park, R. Kelly, and Kanye West, but there was more of a seamless harmony between Jay and JT than those previous mash-ups. If one of Justin's songs needed Jay Z's hype, Mr. Carter was right there. If "99 Problems" needed the guitar lick from Aerosmith's "Walk This Way," Timberlake was ready to show off his Guitar Hero skills.

It was said of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers that he gave her class and she gave him sex. The Jay and JT partnership also produces a similar mutually beneficial symbiosis. But it wasn't until Justin Timberlake went into a rendition of Frank Sinatra's version of "New York New York" to introduce "Empire State of Mind" that it became evident of who their cultural ancestors are, Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.

See also:

-How Jay Z and Justin Timberlake Made It This Far

-Jay Z and Justin Timberlake at Sun Life Stadium: The 30-Photo Slideshow

Timberlake, like Sammy, is the man of a thousand talents. He can hit the high notes. He can show off the dance moves that he learned in 'NSync. And as mentioned, he can strum a few chords on guitar and even play the keys, as he did for "Senorita" and "What Goes Around... Comes Around."

Meanwhile, Jay Z has Sinatra's tough-guy charisma. He is able to charm people into breaking the rules, even sweet talking the security, saying that since this was a real party, to let the people dance in the aisles, "just for tonight." This 21st-century Chairman of the Board even has the famous friends, his very own Rat Pack, as evidenced by an open-shirted Rick Ross, showing off his tattooed tits, walking across the stage for his guest spot on "FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt."

Throughout, the show was impeccably staged, fast, and tight. And last night at least, Justin Timberlake and Jay Z weren't wrong when they claimed to "Run This Town." So Dolphin fans can only hope this duo made all the right moves to buy up a football team that has become known for making all the wrong moves.

And if they do, let's hope Jay and JT will make certain to demand public transportation to Sun Life Stadium. Because, good God, it is an unholy terror driving in and out of that place.

Critic's Notebook

Justin Timberlake and Jay Z's Setlist:

-"Holy Grail"

-"Rock Your Body"

-"I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)"

-"I Want You Back"

-"Izzo (H.O.V.A.)"

-"Excuse Me Miss"

-"Señorita"

-"On to the Next One"

-"Like I Love You"

-"My Love"

-"Big Pimpin'"

-"Tunnel Vision"

-"Jigga What, Jigga Who"

-"U Don't Know"

-"99 Problems"

-"FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt"

-"Public Service Announcement"

-"Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)"

-"Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)"

-"Pusher Love Girl"

-"Summer Love"

-"LoveStoned"

-"Until the End of Time"

-"Cry Me a River"

-"Take Back the Night"

-"What Goes Around... Comes Around"

-"Dirt Off Your Shoulder"

-"Niggas in Paris"

-"Tom Ford"

-"New York, New York"

-"Empire State of Mind"

-"Mirrors"

-"Run This Town"

-"Encore"

-"SexyBack"

Encore:

-"Suit & Tie"

-"Young Forever"

-- David Rolland

See also:

-How Jay Z and Justin Timberlake Made It This Far

-Jay Z and Justin Timberlake at Sun Life Stadium: The 30-Photo Slideshow

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