Marcy Houses residents reflect on Jay-Z’s rise to fame
As Jay-Z celebrates 30 years of his music career with three shows at Yankee Stadium on July 10, 11 and 12, neighbors who knew him before the fame say they still remember the humble kid who spent his days sharpening his rap skills in the housing complex.
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Before he became one of the world's biggest rap stars, Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter was just another kid growing up in Brooklyn's Marcy Houses.
As Jay-Z celebrates 30 years of his music career with three shows at Yankee Stadium on July 10, 11 and 12, neighbors who knew him before the fame say they still remember the humble kid who spent his days sharpening his rap skills in the housing complex.
"I always called him Jay. A lot of the older people called him Shawn,” said Robert Taylor Johnson, known as Coach Chip.
Old friends say Jay-Z was already making a name for himself through rap battles in the Marcy Houses long before he became a global superstar.
Others say success never changed him.
"The guy he is today is the same person he was back then,” said Derrick Tinsley, who grew up in the building across from Jay-Z's. "Humble."
For many in the neighborhood, Jay-Z's success remains a source of pride and proof that someone from Marcy could make it to the world stage.
"He's one of the top emcees in the world," Tinsley said. "To be from right here, it means a lot to us, especially coming from a place where there was nothing but hard times."
Community leaders also hope his legacy can shine a light on efforts to restore youth programs in the neighborhood. They are pushing to reopen a community center where they say Jay-Z and many other young people spent time developing their talents.
"When Jay-Z was around, we had a lot of programs in the community,” said Marylyn Rivera, tenant association president of the Marcy Houses. "Since then, a lot of those programs are out the door."
While thousands of fans will soon see Jay-Z perform in the Bronx, residents in Marcy say they'll always remember him first as Shawn, the kid from their neighborhood who put Marcy Houses on the map.
