“I’ve been on many stages all around the world,” Jay-Z said at the inaugural night of his eight-show run at the newly christened Barclays Center in September. “I performed at the Grammys. I performed at Glastonbury. I tore Coachella to pieces. Nothing feels like this, Brooklyn, I swear to God.” Indeed, as SPIN’s Christopher R. Weingarten reported, his sold-out run at the Brooklyn Nets’ new arena was a triumphant feat, and thanks to Jigga’s online culture hub Life+Times, the rest of us can get a feel for the big emotions and even bigger performances via the 25-minute documentary, Where I’m From.
In compact fashion, the short film takes viewers from the Barclays’ construction in Brooklyn — an eight-minute drive from the projects Jay-Z grew up in — to the extensive rehearsals and lighting prep for the show, to some pretty stunning captures of the main event itself (beginning around the 15-minute mark). That said, it doesn’t get better than seeing Hova slum it on the subway en route to his closing night, and finding himself in a conversation with an older woman who doesn’t recognize him. When Jay explains where he’s headed, she responds, “And you’re going by subway? I’m proud of you.”
And then we were like:
