JAY-Z and his mother, Dr. Gloria Carter, were honored at the Brooklyn Public Library Gala this week.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams introduced Hov at the swanky event on Monday night (October 2), where the hometown hero graced the stage and delivered a speech on behalf of his mother, who unfortunately wasn’t able to attend.
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“I figured if these young men could speak on behalf of their dad, I could speak on behalf of my mom,” Jay said. “Dr. Gloria had to see a doctor earlier. She’s gonna be very upset that I told y’all that. She gave me a very bad excuse and I couldn’t do it and lie to the good people of Brooklyn.
“I think my grandmother, Patty White’s birthday — he was there. That’s my cousin, Jamar [White]. Jamar’s a real cousin. You know you get a lot of cousins once you start making it. Noodles, we called him Noodles.”
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Jigga added of his mother’s absence: “I think she’s hungover. There’s no other way to put it. She wanted to be with you guys but this is what she would want me to say. Y’all not taping this, are you?”
Watch some clips of his speech below.
The Brooklyn Public Library plays host to JAY-Z’s “The Book of HOV” exhibition, which opened in July and will remain on display through December. It is currently free for all visitors.
The sprawling multimedia exhibition “presents thousands of archived objects, including original recording masters, never-before-seen photos, iconic stage wear, prestigious awards and recognitions, as well as videos and artifacts from every facet on JAY-Z’s professional life.”
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The exhibition made another addition last month with the installation of Jigga’s iconic off-white 1993 Lexus GS 300 from his “Dead Presidents” music video.
“The iconic Lexus was first featured in JAY-Z’s ‘Dead Presidents’ visual, and then in the lyrics of ‘Can I Live’ and the #1 hit, ‘Empire State Of Mind,'” Roc Nation said in a statement.
Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez added: “We’re excited to partner with Lexus to bring JAY-Z’s iconic ‘Off-White Lexus’ to The Book of HOV. The new installation adds another element of JAY-Z’s career to the exhibit that visitors can enjoy.
“The response to The Book Of HOV has been overwhelming, so we’re excited to extend the exhibit to December to ensure new and returning attendees can have enough opportunities to fully immerse themselves into the experience.”
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It’s been a busy few days for JAY-Z as he also hosted the REFORM Alliance’s first-ever Casino Night Event in Atlantic City this past weekend, which raised $24 million for criminal justice reform through a charity blackjack tournament.
Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Tom Brady, Travis Scott, Jack Harlow, Quavo, Lil Baby, Meek Mill and more were in attendance.
