Gawk at the rider requests Jay-Z made for a 2009 concert
(Credit: NRK P3)

Old School Archives

Gawk at the rider requests Jay-Z made for a 2009 concert

Sure, Jay-Z can be a cool dad all he wants at the Super Bowl, taking goofy pictures of his kids while he sits in the audience as some of his 1990s rap compatriots put on a tribute to California during the halftime show. But Jay-Z is not the relatable figure he might be sometimes. This is a billionaire rap giant who, quite simply, lives on a different planet from the rest of us.

Do you want proof? Just take a look at the litany of ridiculous items that Jay-Z has notoriously asked for on his riders. For anyone who might not be aware of how large-scale live performances work, artists of all calibres are able to request items and actions to be taken either before, during, or after shows on their own personal riders.

Riders are notorious in the world of music because they often highlight the pettiest, most pretentious, and most highfalutin aspects of famous people. If you’re looking to relate to people like Jack White, don’t look into his specific guacamole request. If you think Van Halen are a band for the people, you’ll be surprised at their M+M’s clause (although that related to a pretty important safety issue, if you can believe it or not).

It should come as no surprise that hip hop figures can put some pricey and indulgent items on their riders, but Jay-Z is certainly near the top when it comes to these kinds of requests. Back in 2009, when HOV was performing at the University of Arizona, the rapper’s rider requests were leaked, and the results are about what you’d expect from a billionaire with a relatively comfortable lifestyle.

First, there’s ground transportation, which isn’t anything special for artists. They have to get to the airport to the hotel and to the venue, so a car of some kind is necessary. But for Jay-Z, there’s a specific kind: a Mercedes-Benz Maybach, either the 57 or 62 models, with tinted windows. That’s a ride that retails for a cool half a million dollars, so it might not be a surprise that the University indicated that they could not fulfil that request.

The rest of the rider has some luxurious items as well. Sapporo beer, because Shawn Carter is a man who enjoys the Japanese brewskis, along with specific brands of vodka, tequila, and champagne. There’s also two bottles of 2004 Sassicaia, which the rider helpfully describes as a “Red, Italian Wine from Bolgheri Region.” That’s going to currently set you back about $450 bucks.

Jay-Z: a man who can take his kids to the Super Bowl, request a car worth half a million dollars to drive him into a publicly-funded university, and indulge in the finest drinks known to man. You know, a man of the people.