Jay-Z & Mary J in Heart of Miami

Wall Street Journal has a recent article profiling the double-bill concert of Jay-Z and Mary J Blige, also known as "The Heart of the City" tour. The WSJ article discusses the tour kicking off to a less than sold out audience in Miami this past Saturday. The duo opened on stage with the classic Jay track "Can't Knock the Hustle", before Mary J launched into a 90 minute set of her hits, without Jay present. The WSJ article notes that the two music stars have quite the contrast in their personalities. Jay Z, 38, is from Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood and Ms. Blige, 37, from a housing project in Yonkers, just 25 miles away. Both had a tough start to success. But their personas are a contrast, too. He's a larger-than-life figure, bravado always in full bloom, who chronicles the violent, crime-ridden world from which he sprang. Ms. Blige is the modern-day version of the girl next door -- all right, a strikingly attractive girl next door. A sisterly confidante who boosts our sagging egos, Ms. Blige sings of love, independence and the need for self-respect, especially after bouncing back from the indignities of affairs with unreliable men. He's untouchable, while she tells us everything is going to work out. According to the article, Jay opened with "Say Hi to the Bad Guy" along with scenes from the movie American Gangster playing on a screen on stage. His rap set included guests Kanye West, Timbaland and Young Jeezy. The article rates Mary J's performance aboves Jigga's, saying Jay's seemed lost in the past. Check out the full Wall Street Journal writeup here.