Video: Jay-Z Takes Us Behind the Scenes at the Barclays Center

If you thought Brooklyn’s Barclays Center was just a sports arena, you’d be mighty wrong.

In this latest Life+Times video entitled “Where I’m From,” Jay-Z and his band members discuss the implications behind the center: what it means to them individually, and what it means to Brooklyn.

“Everyone wants to be here, this is the place to be,” Hova’s band mate asserts. They all speak of the building’s incredible energy, of all the jobs that were brought to Brooklyn because of it, and of the vibe that it has already created, just months after opening. Another band mate chimes in: “It’s a celebration…of making it.”

The documentary follows Jay as he prepares for the center’s 8 back-to-back inaugural concerts. As the band takes their first steps into the arena and onto the stage, they’re moved to silence. Even Jay is awestruck by the towering ceilings and the dramatic lighting. The look on their faces is one that says, “Oh shit, I’m about to be part of something HUGE.”

And that they were.  At the end of Hova’s 8th concert he tells the audience, “This has been my finest moment performing.” Oozing with Brooklyn pride, the rapper declares repeatedly, “Look how far we’ve come.”

Check out this uplifting documentary for a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how the Barclays Center came to be.

Text: Nicola Parisi