JAY-Z’s career spans over two decades and includes success in various industries, so it’s not unusual for him to have tons of fans around the world. A select few are content watching documentaries about the Brooklyn rapper and learning about his latest ventures on social media. Some find joy and solace listening to his music, while others attend his concerts. A Chicago woman and diehard JAY-Z fan, however, was adamant about wanting to meet Hov, and she took extreme measure to make it happen.
On Sunday (Nov. 8), Yaazmina Payton managed to evade several levels of security at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport and tried to board an airplane “without proper documentation.”
Per the Chicago Tribune, she was caught dodging the ropes at a boarding gate for an American Airlines flight headed to Los Angeles, and was approached by a ticket agent who proceeded to her ask for her documentation. Unable to present a ticket or a boarding pass for the flight, the Hov fan was arrested “without incident” and charged with felony criminal trespassing.
Payton told cops that she was able to get through TSA when officials were distracted, noting she also bypassed another security checkpoint. Her motive for trespassing, she explained, was her desire to fly to L.A. and hopefully see JAY-Z.
TSA agents later disputed Payton’s claim that she bypassed them, insisting she was “successfully screened” before she entered a secure area in the airport. “The safety and security of all travelers are our top priority,” spokesman Sonny Lorrius said in a statement.
During a court hearing on Monday (Nov. 9), Payton’s attorney explained that her client struggles with PTSD and anxiety disorder. Payton was released on $500 bail and is banned from visiting the Chicago airport.
It is not clear whether JAY-Z was actually in L.A. on the day of the incident, but he did make an appearance during the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony the night before (Nov. 7), honoring The Notorious B.I.G. in what may have been a pre-recorded interview.