Jay-Z revealed one of the last things Kobe Bryant said to him.
The 41-year-old basketball legend and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were among those who perished when his private helicopter crashed last month, and the “Anything” hitmaker recalls seeing the star over the new year when Bryant urged him to go and see the aspiring basketball pro shoot some hoops.
Jay-Z said: “So Kobe was a guy that looked up to me, and we’ve hung out multiple times.
“He was last at my house on New Year’s, and he was just in the greatest space that I’ve seen him in.
“One of the last things he said to me was, ‘You’ve gotta see Gianna play basketball.’
“And that was one of the most hurtful things because he was so proud. And the look on his face was like — I looked at him and said, ‘Oh, she’s going to be the best female basketball player in the world.’
“He was just so proud. So that’s really a tough one.”
Jay-Z admitted the pair’s deaths have been “really tough” to take for him and his wife Beyoncé.
In a video shared by Roc Nation Sports of Jay-Z speaking at Columbia University, he added: “My wife and I took that … have taken that … really tough. That’s all I’ll say on that.
“Just a great human being and was in a great space in his life.”
Beyoncé paid her respects to the pair just days after their deaths, sharing a photo of the father of four kissing Gianna on her forehead as they sat courtside watching a basketball game together.
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The 38-year-old singer wrote: “I will continue to diligently pray for your Queens. You are deeply missed beloved Kobe. (sic)”
