Hip-Hop Media Training

Jay-Z Unrecognized By Subway Passenger, Video Goes Viral

By | Hip-Hop Media Training – Wed, Dec 5, 2012 1:28 PM EST

Jay-Z's eight-night stand at Brooklyn's new Barclays Center in September was historic and a feat few of his contemporaries could pull off. So it was fitting that the experience would warrant its own documentary, "Where I'm From," that debuted on Jay-Z's Times+Life website Tuesday, the hip-hop mogul's 43rd birthday.

But there's a breakout star in the 24-minute video - Brooklyn artist Ellen Grossman.

"Where I'm From" captures Jay-Z taking the subway to his last night at the 18,000-seat arena. Jay sits next to the unassuming 67-year-old woman and makes conversation.

[Related: DMX Turns "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" Into Catchy Rap]

Grossman has a sense that Jay may be a person of note and asks if he is famous. First he says yes, and then he adds, "Not very famous, you don't know me. But I'll get there someday."

Ellen Grossman and Jay-Z in "Where I'm From."

Jay humbly introduces himself, extending his hand, and asks her name.  She replies, "Ellen" and asks what he does for a living.

When Jay tells her that he makes music, she asks if he just performed. "I'm on my way to a performance at the new Brooklyn arena," he says.

"Fabulous," she replies.

"I performed eight shows actually," he says.

"Already?" she responds with surprise.

"This is the last show, the eighth show," he continues.

"And you're going by subway?" she asks, seeming impressed.

"Yes," he says.

"I'm proud of you," she says, complimenting him.

Then she asks him to repeat his name "just so I get it."

He says, "Jay. Jay-Z."

And she blushes, displaying part excitement, part embarrassment.

"Oh, you're Jay-Z. I know about Jay-Z," she gushes.

Jay-Z beams.

[Related: Beyonce Exposes Baby Bump In Documentary Teaser]

The documentary video is going viral, with more than 150,000 views so far. And viewers are swooning over the banter between Grossman and Jay-Z on the subway. One person tweeted, "OK. This is the cutest thing ever." Another person wrote, "nice to see Jay-Z be a little humble every once and a while."

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter.

News for You

  • The new consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony

    NEW YORK (AP) — Microsoft is the last of the three big video game console makers to unveil its latest gaming system. The unveiling comes nearly eight years after the Xbox 360 went on sale. It follows last fall's debut of Nintendo's Wii U and a preview in February of the upcoming PlayStation 4 from Sony.

  • Singer Kellie Pickler named new 'Dancing' champ

    LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kellie Pickler came into the final "Dancing With the Stars" episode in second place but finished in first.

  • Woman on Trump: 'Somebody had to stand up to him'

    CHICAGO (AP) — An 87-year-old woman who alleges Donald Trump cheated her in a skyscraper-condo sale told jurors Monday she had qualms about suing the real estate mogul and TV celebrity. But, she quickly added, "Somebody had to stand up to him."

  • Restaurant learns online reviews can make or break

    PHOENIX (AP) — It was the customer service disaster heard around the Internet.

  • First Look: New Xbox elegant, but much unknown

    REDMOND, Wash. (AP) — Will gamers want One?

  • Disney-owned ESPN cutting hundreds of jobs: source

    By Liana B. Baker (Reuters) - ESPN, the sports channel that is Walt Disney Co's most profitable unit, is cutting 300 to 400 jobs across the company and closing a small Denver office, a person with knowledge of the cuts said. The job cuts, comprising 4 to 6 percent of ESPN's staff of 7,000, include open positions that will not be filled, said the source, who asked not to be named because the information is not public. But ESPN will continue hiring for other open positions, the person said. The channel has recently won rights to exclusive coverage of the U.S. ...

Show More