Jay-Z Honored by NYC Mayor Bloomberg as One of 2013's Most Influential People
Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter was recently named one of Time magazine's most influential figures in 2013 and aside from landing one of the publication's seven cover shots, the 43-year-old music mogul was honored by his native New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Mayor Bloomberg spoke highly of the rapper in his write-up of the entertainer for Time's "100 Most Influential People In The World."
"Jay Z embodies so much of what makes New York New York. A kid from a tough neighborhood who grows up in public housing, overcomes lots of bad influences on the street, never lets go of his dream, makes it to the top- and then keeps going, pursuing new outlets for his creativity and ambition," Bloomberg wrote about Jay-Z. "When no one would sign him to a record contract, he created his own label and built a music empire- before going on to design clothing lines, open sports bars and, most recently, represent professional athletes."
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Bloomberg went on to mention Jay-Z's influence not only in New York City, but in the U.S. as a whole.
"He's an artist-entrepreneur who stands at the center of culture and commerce in 21st century America, and his influence stretches across races, religions and regions. He's never forgotten his roots- 'Empire State of Mind' was a love song to our city- and as a co-owner of the NBA Nets, he helped bring a major league sports team back to Brooklyn, not far from his old neighborhood," Bloomberg wrote. "In nearly everything he's tried, he's found success. (He even put a ring on Beyoncé.) And in doing so, he's proved that the American Dream is alive and well."
Aside from Jay-Z, his wife and singer Beyonce, President Obama, actress Lena Dunham, and singers Justin Timberlake and Frank Ocean made Time's annual list of "100 Most Influential People in The World."
