Alicia Keys and “Ruff Ryders’ First Lady” Eve, photographed performing during the NFL’s Kickoff Concert in Times Square on September 5, 2002. 

The concert was a kickoff to the NFL's first game of the season as the NFL led an unprecedented day of music and football-themed festivities in celebration and countdown to the San Francisco 49ers Vs. the New York Giants game at Giants Stadium that night. Crowds saw live performances from Bon Jovi, Enrique Iglesias, and Eve duetting with Alicia on stage adorned in tailored jerseys from their respective home cities.

Alicia and Eve duetted on the lead single “Gangsta Lovin’” from Eve’s third studio album “Eve-Olution” released in late August. The song became Eve’s second number two hit on the Billboard Hot 100, following 2001’s “Let Me Blow Ya Mind”. The two additionally appeared in the music video for “Gangsta Lovin’” together.

Televised by CBS, MTV, VH-1 and ESPN, the concert included recognition and support of New York’s September 11 memorial events with the NFL and the Players Association contributing about $10 million to Sept. 11 disaster relief funds. The game itself was a historic occasion as the NFL had never opened its season on a Thursday night before.

Then New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg defended the party, which arrived six days before the first anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center: “What the city gets out of the event is a lot of money to help fund the ceremony downtown for 9/11 and a lot of money to help in the re-development of downtown," he said.

In addition to marking the NFL's new season, the "NFL Kickoff Live from Times Square" is also a celebration "of the resilient spirit of New York and America."

The 49ers would beat the Giants 16-13.