Jay-Z made headlines after a surprise appearance at Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour stop in Paris, not just for joining his wife onstage but for a subtle lyrical change that didn’t go unnoticed by fans.

The rap mogul thrilled the audience when he stepped out to perform a medley of hits alongside Beyoncé, including fan favorites like “Crazy in Love,” “Drunk in Love (Remix),” and “Partition.” But it was his solo performance of “Ni**as in Paris,” a 2011 collaboration with Kanye West, that sparked buzz online.

Jay-Z Replaces Kanye Reference With Beyoncé’s Name

In a moment captured by fans, Jay-Z altered the original lyric in the song’s first verse. Instead of saying,

 “Just might let you meet Ye,” referencing Kanye, he changed the line to, “Just might let you meet Bey” — a clear nod to his wife, Beyoncé, and a possible signal of distance from his former friend and collaborator.

This subtle change comes just weeks after Kanye West shared on X (formerly Twitter) that his dreams had been about apologizing to Jay-Z. Despite their past creative chemistry highlighted in their Watch the Throne album — the two have had a strained relationship for nearly a decade.

Their fallout reportedly began in 2014 when Jay-Z and Beyoncé missed Kanye’s wedding to Kim Kardashian. West publicly expressed his hurt over their absence, saying he considered them family.

Although Jay-Z appeared on West’s 2021 track “Jail,” suggesting reconciliation, tensions flared again after disagreements over politically charged lyrics. West later posted inflammatory comments targeting Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s children, which sparked widespread backlash.

While Kanye has issued apologies, Jay-Z has remained largely silent, choosing instead to speak through moments like this — a single lyric swap that says more than words.