Ja Rule is coming to M&T Bank Stadium. The Grammy-nominated rapper, singer and actor will play a pregame concert and a halftime show when the Ravens host the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football on Nov. 16, part of a blacked-out night that also includes a new light show and the debut of Baltimore's matte black "Darkness" helmet.
Kickoff is 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Ravens are asking fans to wear black for the team's Darkness Falls game and to be in their seats by 7:45 p.m., when the pregame show begins.
Ja Rule's Monday Night Schedule
Ja Rule has three appearances on the gameday schedule, starting more than three hours before kickoff.
| Time | Ja Rule appearance | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 5:15 – 6 p.m. | Guest bartender | North Plaza |
| 6:45 – 7:30 p.m. | Pregame concert | Bud Light Talon, North Plaza |
| Halftime | Halftime performance | Bud Light Touchdown Club |
The pregame set takes place on the Bud Light Talon stage in the stadium's new North Plaza area. His halftime performance will be held in the Bud Light Touchdown Club.
Ja Rule broke through in 1999 with his debut album, Venni Vetti Vecci, led by the single "Holla Holla." Between 1999 and 2005, he put a string of songs into the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. He has six Top 10 albums, including two that reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, Rule 3:36 (2000) and Pain Is Love (2001), and has been nominated for four Grammy Awards.
Darkness Falls: Wear Black
Monday night is the Ravens' Darkness Falls game, and fans are encouraged to come dressed in black to match the team.
Baltimore will wear its new all-black uniforms, and the night marks the first appearance of the "Darkness" helmet. The matte black shell features talon-style stripes and a two-toned, forward-facing Ravens logo with red eyes that stand out against the dark finish.
The Uprising: Be in Your Seat by 7:45 p.m.
The pregame show is part of "The Uprising," the Ravens' new entertainment experience built to celebrate Baltimore's football culture and get the crowd loud before kickoff. It starts at 7:45 p.m., half an hour before the opening kick.
Highlights include:
- Poe's entrance: The Ravens' mascot will once again "fly" from the top of the stadium down to the field.
- Light show: A full stadium light display, including "blackout" moments (more on that below).
- Performances: The Ravens Cheerleaders, a stunt team and Baltimore's Marching Ravens all take part.
PixMob NOVA Max Light Show
The Ravens will use PixMob's NOVA Max lighting technology, along with the stadium's LED light system, to create a sequence of effects and blackouts that starts with The Uprising and continues through player introductions.
More than 3,000 lights, each containing 21 LEDs, have been installed around the stadium. That makes M&T Bank Stadium the first outdoor NFL venue to use NOVA Max technology.
Leader of the Uprising: José Andrés
Monday's "Leader of the Uprising" is José Andrés, the Spanish-American chef, restaurateur, author and humanitarian who lives in Maryland.
Andrés founded World Central Kitchen, which provides meals to communities in crisis. He and his team have delivered more than 888 million meals around the world. He has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and was named the James Beard Foundation's Humanitarian of the Year.
Player Introductions
Baltimore's starting defense will be introduced out of the tunnel.
National Anthem: Samantha Pollino
Baltimore native Samantha Pollino, a Broadway performer and graduate of the Baltimore School for the Arts, will sing the national anthem.
Pollino made her sixth Broadway appearance last year in Chess. Her other Broadway credits include The Great Gatsby, Hamilton, Sweeney Todd, Head Over Heels and Hot Feet. On television, she has appeared in "FBI: Most Wanted," "Girls5Eva" and FX's "Fosse/Verdon."
Legend of the Game: Bradley Bozeman
Former Ravens offensive lineman Bradley Bozeman is Monday's Legend of the Game.
Baltimore drafted Bozeman in the sixth round in 2018, and he went on to start 49 games across four seasons with the team, which made the playoffs three times during that stretch. He was twice the Ravens' nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award. Bozeman and his wife, Nikki, have led anti-bullying efforts nationwide and fed many families through their foundation.
Gameday Timeline: When Lots, Gates and Plazas Open
| Time | What opens |
|---|---|
| 3:45 p.m. | Parking lots |
| 4:15 p.m. | RavensWalk |
| 5:15 p.m. | North Plaza area, Miller Lite Gatehouse and Roof Deck |
| 5:15 – 6 p.m. | Ja Rule guest bartending |
| 6:15 p.m. | Stadium gates |
| 6:45 – 7:30 p.m. | Ja Rule pregame concert |
| 7:45 p.m. | "The Uprising" pregame show begins |
| 8:15 p.m. | Kickoff |
Monday's game is presented by Novartis.
Getting to M&T Bank Stadium
Light Rail is the simplest way in and out: the Hamburg Street stop sits next to the stadium. Drivers should buy parking ahead of time and expect traffic on I-395 and around the Russell Street lots on a weeknight. The stadium's clear-bag policy is in effect, so bring a clear bag no larger than about 12" x 6" x 12", a one-gallon clear freezer bag or a small clutch.
What's at Stake on the Field
The entertainment is a sideshow to a game the Ravens badly need. Baltimore (4-5) has lost four straight and is looking to get back to .500 against a winless Chargers team.
It's also a night of debuts. Jacoby Brissett is expected to make his first start for the Ravens after his trade from Arizona, and he's been on a crash course to learn the offense with Lamar Jackson sidelined by a thumb injury he hopes to return from later this season. Riley Patterson will handle the kicking after signing this week.
Game Information
Matchup: Los Angeles Chargers at Baltimore Ravens
When: Monday, Nov. 16, 8:15 p.m. ET
Where: M&T Bank Stadium, 1101 Russell St., Baltimore
TV: ESPN (Monday Night Football)
Theme: Darkness Falls (fans encouraged to wear black)
Be in seats by: 7:45 p.m.