Rihanna: Jay-Z & Young Jeezy Chip In At London Nokia Show Concert Recap

via NME

Rihanna was joined live on stage by mentor Jay-Z in London tonight (November 16) as she launched new album 'Rated R' at an exclusive live show.

The R&B princess put in a brief but epic performance at Brixton Academy in front of a crowd of competition winners and invited guests. The show was streamed live online by Nokia.

Debuting tracks from 'Rated R', which is released next week, the singer was also joined by rapper .

The show then began in earnest with a dramatic rendition of new single 'Russian Roulette', throughout which Rihanna sat on a revolving white chair, before miming shooting herself in the head at the finale.



After a selection of hits from breakthrough record 'Good Girl Gone Bad', Rihanna was then joined by Jeezy for the new album track 'So Hard'.

But the main event was saved for the climax. As the opening strains of her recent Jay-Z collaboration opened up, it became apparent that the man himself was in the building, joining Rihanna from the back of the stage to rap his parts on the smash.

Jay-Z remained onstage for his opening sequence on the star’s signature hit 'Umbrella', which brought the show to its dramatic climax.

Rihanna setlist:

'Madhouse'
'Wait Your Turn'
'Russian Roulette'
'Don’t Stop The Music'
'Take A Bow' / 'Disturbia'
'So Hard' ft. Young Jeezy
'Live Your Life'
'Run This Town' ft. Jay-Z
'Umbrella' ft. Jay-Z



via MTV

Rihanna kicked off the promotion for her upcoming Rated R album on Monday (November 16) with a concert from London that featured loads of swagger, tons of flash and a pair of high-profile guests.

Broadcast online to a global audience, thanks to Nokia, the show marked one of the first times Rihanna had performed songs from R (which hits stores November 23) before a live audience, and she was clearly emboldened by the high stakes, strutting across the stage — which was decorated with busted TV sets and a mannequin or three — vamping for the camera and powering her way through a hit-packed set.

Of course, the songs from her new album got top billing: As the house lights dimmed (and the crowd chanted "Ri-hanna! Ri-hanna!"), the speakers crackled to life with a pre-recorded message: "Ladies and gentlemen, for those of you who are easily frightened, we suggest you turn around right now. For those of you who can take it, we say: Welcome to the mad house," and the band launched into "Mad House," the intro track from Rated R.



She spit the opening lines of Rated R's "Hard," then welcomed Young Jeezy onstage so he could finish things off. As the song ended, her band performed a medley of "S.O.S." and "Unfaithful" (the perfect time for a costume change!), and Rihanna emerged in a black leotard and began singing her verse from T.I.'s "Live Your Life," which morphed into her verses on Jay-Z's "Run This Town," and Hov himself appeared onstage, launched into his verses, and sent the crowd into overdrive.



That, of course, led right into "Umbrella," with Jay rapping his intro then ceding the spotlight back to Rihanna, who belted the song out while Jay urged her to "Take 'em higher!"

Read the full reviews here:
NME - Rihanna joined by Jay-Z in London
MTV - Rihanna Joined By Jay-Z, Young Jeezy Live In London

Photos:
Getty Images - Live Performance
Getty Images - Arrivals
Getty Images - Party Inside the Venue
Wire Image - Arrivals
WENN Photo - Live Performance
WENN Photos - Departures

(video courtesy of gunpowdergordon, Purplekitten56 & SunnySaleh)