Jay-Z is doing a lot to celebrate 30 years of his career, whether it's pop-ups in New York City to celebrate Reasonable Doubt turning 30 or upcoming concerts at Yankee Stadium. But one of the more curious initiatives he and Roc Nation launched was a partnership with Google Maps (which you can see by clicking here) to highlight various locations around NYC that, in one way or another, hold historical significance for his career.
These include recording studios such as Jungle City, Manhattan Center, The Hit Factory, and D&D Studios where Hov laid down some of his most iconic material. Also, key venues like the Apollo Theater, Webster Hall, Radio City Music Hall, and more are on the list. Other locations include the McDonald's Jay references on "Empire State Of Mind," old apartments, Roc-A-Fella headquarters, the Marcy Houses, The Tunnel, the Brooklyn Public Library, and more.
All in all, there are about 29 locations on this Google Maps list for fans to visit if they're in town. It's one of many other initiatives celebrating this career, and it's contributing to a massive year for the Roc Nation MC.
Jay-Z 30 Celebrations
Other activations for this Jay-Z 30 run include pop-ups in Brooklyn and Manhattan, specifically in Dumbo and the J and Z subway lines at Bowery on the Lower East Side. These have been surprisingly key locations for a lot of the media discussion about Jay-Z, too.
Some folks like DJ Akademiks are going quite hard against him, accusing folks like Charlamagne Tha God of being bought out by Roc Nation. But Charlamagne trolled Akademiks during his pop-up visit, joking about an "employee discount" when buying merch.
We're sure debates will also emerge about these locations in New York City and what they represent for Hov's career. In any case, all of this is contributing to heated discussions online and a lot of anticipation for what's next.
Meanwhile, Jay-Z's prepping for his Yankee Stadium shows on July 10, 11, and 12. The first two will celebrate anniversaries for Reasonable Doubt and The Blueprint respectively, whereas the third will run through some other greatest hits. With shows in Paris and Los Angeles also on the horizon, we'll see what other celebrations, narratives, debates, and controversies emerge. At least those in New York City can have a visual run-down of the career in addition to all this reminiscing.
