Justin Bieber’s mugshot popped up in Beyonce and Jay Z’s opening night of their “On The Road” tour, when Jay Z rapped “Izzo (H.O.V.A)” as a montage of famous mugshots flashed up on giant screens.
Bieber, whose crush on Beyonce and respect for Jay Z is on record, was clearly flattered by the nod as he retweeted this fan’s message.
Justin’s mug shot makes an appearance at Beyoncé & Jay Z’s ‘On the Run Tour.’ Wonder if he’s excited lol pic.twitter.com/PWFmu9NfrW
— Justin Bieber Babes (@belieberbabes) June 27, 2014
However, some of Bieber’s fans are up in arms that the “Baby” singer was included in the roll call.
Others think it’s an honor because the line-up includes Jane Fonda, late Tupac Shakur, Bill Gates, British music icon David Bowie, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Jim Morrison, Jay Z and more.
Translation: a fantasy dinner party Anna Wintour would wear synthetic for.
But the main cause of divided fan reaction is the line “Even the greatest can fall , ” which has been misreported as said by Beyonce during Jay Z’s rap solo.
According to the Daily Mirror , which cites a purported audience member, the Houston native took to Miami’s Sun Life Stadium stage on Wednesday as Jay Z rocked “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” to intone “Even the greatest can fall” when the track paused briefly on Bieber’s mugshot.
Except, Beyonce did nothing of the sort.
Audio and video of Jay Z’s June 25 performance reveals Beyonce did not appear onstage at the end or during “Izzo,” and there was no voice-over of her alleged comment.
All of which means, the pushing of this narrative in the face of contradictory clear video says more about the clickbait value of Bieber’s name and high clickbait value of the Carters.
It also appears to reveal the will of most media outlets to engage in negative messaging about Bieber, when clearly his inclusion in a stellar cast of mugshots including Jay Z’s own during a song that odes the rapper’s street past, indicates no slight was intended.
Some Beliebers thought Justin’s mugshot inclusion was disrespectful to him.
One fan raged [in part]: “That’s just f****d.”
Another disagreed and saw a compliment in the word “greatest,” tweeting Bieber with: “You made it (sic).”
Either way, the illogicality is stunning.
The video doesn’t show Beyonce, the alleged comment is not heard and there was no pathos emphasis on Bieber, apart from Jay Z saying the words “Not guilty, he who does not feel me is not real to me / So poof! vamoose son of a b—” on a drum break.
So, any interpretation of what was basically a mugshot hall of fame at one of the most highly anticipated and best reviewed shows of the summer to date as a “slam” of Bieber, is bizarre if not stupefying.
Beyonce and Jay Z will perform 20 shows in the whole run, with the 42-song, multi-costumed extravaganza updating the couple’s “’03 Bonnie and Clyde” personas. It will be interesting to see if the pair make more of the Bieber moment after all the press.
But one thing’s for sure, Justin is keeping good company with the Carters – and he knows it.
Watch Beyonce and Jay Z’s just released “On The Road” rehearsal footage above.