Rihanna, Kanye West Perform Together at Pre-Super Bowl Party
A night before Super Bowl XLIX, Rihanna and Kanye West delivered a performance worthy of its own halftime show. Two-thirds of the “FourFiveSeconds” super-trio hit the stage together at a pre-Super Bowl party in Glendale, Arizona Saturday night as Rihanna’s scheduled hour-long set was welcomely interrupted by a surprise appearance from Kanye West, who performed his own 10-minute mini-set that included the live debut of his recent Paul McCartney collaboration “Only One.”
Contrary to rumors earlier in the day, McCartney was not present to join Rihanna and West at DirecTV’s annual pre-Big Game blowout, denying fans the opportunity of seeing the first live “FourFiveSeconds”; without the former Beatle, Rihanna and West didn’t even attempt their latest single onstage. Instead, Rihanna delivered a hits-filled set that featured a surprise guest appearance from up-and-coming rap duo Rae Sremmurd, who joined the singer for their hit “No Type” before performing “No Flex Zone” on their own.
West and Rihanna teamed up for three tracks: “Run This Town,” “All of the Lights” and a concert-ending mash-up of “Diamonds From Sierra Leone (Remix)” and “Diamonds.” West’s own brief set jumped around from Yeezus‘ “Black Skinhead” and Watch the Throne‘s “Niggas in Paris” to Cruel Summer‘s “Clique” and hits “Gold Digger” and “Flashing Lights.” However, the most significant moment came at the end of West’s surprise mini-set when the rapper slowed things down for his first-ever live performance of “Only One.”
A glum West then capped off the evening with a double date at the Waffle House. Katy Perry, Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott will attempt to top all that tonight during the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show.