Jay-Z brings star power to new Brooklyn stadium

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Hip-hop giant and business mogul, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter seems to have a blueprint for success.

The Brooklyn-native is said to personify the American rags-to-riches story and with his latest venture, he’s right at home.

At a Monday morning press event on the plaza at the Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn, Jay-Z announced that the NBA basketball franchise, The New Jersey Nets, (which he partly owns) will soon officially be renamed “The Brooklyn Nets.” Also, Jay-Z revealed that he will open the Barclays Center with a music concert in September 2012.

The announcement, made at the Barclays Center of Brooklyn construction site and future home to the Brooklyn Nets, has been met with excitement both locally and beyond.

“It sent a chill down my spine when he made the announcement,” said The Source managing editor, Reggie Ossé during an interview with theGrio.

Describing himself as a “rap head,” Ossé, also known as “Combat Jack”, said he followed Jay-Z’s career.

“I was in the studio with Jay-Z when he laid out his first track which, looking back, was historic,” he said. A one-time attorney for Roc-A-Fella Records assisting contract negotiations, Ossé now works in the media, writing about his music passion for The Source. The hip-hop and culture monthly magazine is arguably the second-longest running rap publication in the world.

Hip-hop fans are not the only ones pleased with this recent development.

“I definitely predict great business with the Barclays Center opening,” said Aimee Follette, owner and executive chef at Sun in Bloom. She says there hasn’t been much traffic at the vegan and raw food Park Slope restaurant that’s about two blocks from the site of Barclays Center. But, that may very well change. Just southwest of the Barclays Center site, Alchemy Restaurant has already experienced increased business with the lunchtime influx of construction workers. The restaurant is about 900 square feet with 50 tables and offers a full restaurant, bar and outdoor seating. Bartender Ryan Kahl told theGrio that the restaurant has even created a new cocktail drink that’s expected to be made available on the opening day of the Barclays Center.

‘We haven’t named [the drink] yet,” Kahl said. “We don’t know what kind of clientele this is going to bring, but it’s all very exciting.”

And then there’s the marketing campaign — multifaceted, multi-present and just plain smart.

Throughout New York City’s lower Manhattan, The “Get All Access to Jay-Z” ads will be posted on coffee cups in shops, taxi stops, print publications and telephone kiosks in an effort to entice basketball fans to come out to the Barclays Center and buy those “All Access” premium game tickets.

“The message is that the Barclays Center is much more than basketball,” Nets CEO Brett Yormark told the New York Post. “There will be great concerts and other entertainment so who better to deliver that message than the world’s No. 1 entertainer Jay-Z?”

Barclays Center developer, Bruce Ratner said Jay-Z is a not only a world icon, but a Brooklyn icon.

“It’s going to be an incredible experience next year when Jay-Z, Brooklyn’s own, takes the stage to open the Barclays Center and our vision becomes a reality,” he said.

Brooklyn-area real estate developers and brokers are positioned to benefit as well. Aroza Sanjana of Warren Lewis Reality, told theGrio that she sold all 71 residential condo units in a brand new Boerum Hill building right across the street from the Barclays Center site.

Not a bad gig considering the transaction totaled 30 million dollars in market value. Sanjana said there have been a number of positive changes in the area since the center was finally approved to begin construction and she only expects more.

“Hopefully transportation systems will be efficient to support the evening crowd going to see the Nets,” she said. “You move forward and you look on the bright side so, we’ll see.”

And for Jay-Z, who started in Brooklyn, it all seems to come full circle. During a live interview on Good Day New York, he said he now has more reason to go to Brooklyn more often, describing the borough as his “foundation.”

“Without Brooklyn, I wouldn’t be standing here right now. I’m humbled, I’m excited, so get ready for the Brooklyn Jets,” Jay-Z said at the press event.

So, for fans like, “Combat Jack”, Jay-Z only gets better.