Usher hosts the opening of Pinball’s Roller Boogie Palace at the Rock Center
Soul and hip hop royalty hit Rockefeller Center for the opening of Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace on Thursday night.
R&B crooner Usher hosted the grand opening – and although he was scheduled to take the stage to perform at 7:30 p.m., “Usher didn’t go on until after 9:30 p.m., and he only went on for maybe a song” , a source told Page Six.
Still, it was a roller skating party for the ages. The massive party brought out Mary J. Blige, Dr. Dre, Jermaine Dupri, Michael Strahan, Floyd Mayweather and Meek Mill, who “skated all night… [it] was enjoyable for sure,” another source told us at the party.
At one point, Mill hit the ground skating backwards. Meanwhile, Usher led several dance moments in the rink, including showing off his “1, 2 Step” to Ciara’s hit song.
Downtown icon Patti Smith, Gayle King, Richie Akiva, Joey Badass, John McEnroe and his wife Patty Smyth were also on stage.
Later, guests headed to the swanky Le Chalet at L’Avenue where a spy told us Blige was breaking it down on the dance floor for his own jam. “Mary J. Blige was dancing with will.i.am, Dr. Dre, D-Nice and Q Tip to her own song,” the spy recounts. “DJ Nikki Kynard played ‘Just Fine’.”
The rink is open now until October and will host more musical performances.
Liberty Ross is behind the project, resurrecting her father Ian “Flipper” Ross’ original “Boogie” rink, which opened in Los Angeles in 1979. It’s been dubbed “Studio 54 on wheels,” according to the actress of “Charlie’s Angels” Jaclyn Smith.
New York Post