Jay-Z Booked to Perform at Warhol-Basquiat Memorial Ceremony

In Paris on Friday (April 14), the Louis Vuitton Fondation’s Auditorium will celebrate their brand new Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol exhibit that launched this month. Having correspondence and working on hundreds of pieces together throughout their lives, Basquiat and Warhol’s new collection is cause for celebration.

So, to honor the two late art heroes, Jay-Z will give a special performance at the ceremony. Dubbed the Basquiat x Warhol. Painting Four Hands exhibition, the event will begin at 9 p.m. local time and is sponsored by Tiffany & Co. Ticket information can be found on their website.

Friday’s set will be Jay-Z’s first performance since the February Grammy Awards when he joined DJ Khaled, Lil Wayne, Fridayy, and John Legend for their collaborative song “GOD DID” off Khaled’s recent studio album under the same name. At the award show, “GOD DID” was nominated for Song of the Year, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Performance. Speaking with Tidal, the digital streaming platform he helped popularize, Hov explained why he chose to partake in the performance.

“I thought about it, I was in my head and I just broke down and said, ‘You know, it’s a four-minute verse.’ Again, for the culture, for hip-hop, we got to do that,” he told Tidal. “This ain’t your traditional song… It’s not your traditional structure of what you think a song that would be nominated for Song of the Year would sound like. It’s not what you expect. And for the culture and for hip-hop, we got to do that.”

It’s unclear which songs will make up Jay-Z’s setlist in Paris, considering he has not put out a studio album since 4:44 in 2017. But, with an expansive catalog consisting of some of the most beloved hip-hop songs ever, it shouldn’t be too difficult for Hov to play a collection of tracks that will please the audience in attendance.

Photo by Kevin Kane/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame