*Update*: Jay-Z fires diss freestyle against Drake, Kanye and Nicki Minaj

What was announced as a comeback concert turned into one of the most discussed performances of the year on Saturday night in Philadelphia. Jay-Z headlined the Roots Picnic – his first solo festival headlining in over five years – and left hardly any of his prominent rivals unscathed.

The highlight was a freestyle in which the Roc Nation founder directly targeted Drake, Kanye West and Nicki Minaj. VICE reports that Jay-Z systematically worked through his list of rivals and held nothing back. The jab against Nicki Minaj was particularly sharp: According to Pitchfork, he attacked her over her marriage to Kenneth Petty, a convicted sex offender. Kanye West and Drake also got their share – the entire freestyle is documented on video, as TMZ notes.

Triumphant show with guest appearances

Beyond the freestyle, the concert offered a career-spanning show with 35 songs and a series of guest appearances. Variety reviews the evening as a triumphant performance, featuring appearances by Jazmine Sullivan, Bilal and Meek Mill, among others. A State Property reunion was also among the highlights of the evening, according to Pitchfork.

Beyoncé provided an unexpected subplot: Page Six reports that she was spotted dancing in the audience in a blazer and jeans to Jay-Z's music – a rare public appearance by the couple at a concert.

The evening marks Jay-Z's first festival performance in seven years. Stereogum notes that he had already set subtle signals in the weeks prior – including a name change on streaming platforms back to the original spelling. Philadelphia, the hometown of The Roots, provided the fitting backdrop for a return that made no compromises, musically or rhetorically.