By Scarlett North-Cavanaugh and Emilie Ruscoe
Tanisha & Cherise
Jay Z, Jay Z, you got us believing that you would show up in our beloved town of Bushwick to perform a secret show between the Bushwick Collective murals on 421 Troutman St. After a tweet (later retracted) by Revolt TV, a new website of Sean Combs aka Puff Daddy, who was also on this fantasy Bushwick lineup, about 200 highly stylish folks rolled out of their beds “early” Sunday morning and waited for the alleged 12PM Jay Z show. Four hours later Revolt TV Twitter counted over 30,000 followers, and in Bushwick it was pretty clear that Jay Z was a no show. Good news? The neighborhood hung out unexpectedly and had good times, Bushwick businesses in the area sold a lot of coffee, and we shot some seriously awesome street style episode featuring, yes, disappointed but super hot Jay Z fans!
Tanisha & Cherise (above) were visiting Bushwick from different parts of the eastern seaboard: Tanisha lives in East New York, and Cherise was visiting from DC. Tanisha told us that a friend had told her about the concert, “So, now we’re here!” Asked about her ensemble, she told us that she’d been dressed for a regular, chill day before hearing about the event. “I was like, ‘free concert? Outside? I think I’m cool like this.” The pair had arrived around 4:30, but they’d heard that 5pm was a possible start time, so they were planning on sticking around until then – “Maybe until 5:20.”
Sabrina
Sabrina, a graphic designer, was headed past the Bushwick Collective on her way to AfroPunk Fest; seems that she prefers Mykki Blanco and Theophilus London to Jay Z. We love her bright red lipstick and bleach blonde hair. She tells us that she has a professional appreciation of the Guns ‘n Roses logo in addition to liking their music, that her high-waisted shorts are vintage, and that the high-top Converse All-Stars she has on are her favorite sneakers: “They look better when they’re dirty, that’s why I love white.”
LO/VE
Members of the Czech “Country Punk” band LO/VE are visiting New York for three weeks to play a few shows, including one at Goodbye Blue Monday this past Sunday evening. They had been sightseeing in the neighborhood when they came across the crowd that had gathered for Jay Z’s possible appearance. Curious about the scene as much as about the performance, they were enjoying people watching in the shade.
Robert
Robert, a producer and engineer who just moved to Bed-Stuy from Los Angeles, was skeptical about Jay Z’s arrival when we spoke to him. “I don’t think he’s going to show, to be honest,” he confided. He tells us that he’s hoping to launch an independent record company: “A bicoastal one, from LA to New York, mostly hip hop – LA rappers and New York rappers – merging the two. That’s the whole reason I’m here.” Robert’s ensemble? Patterned Vans, corduroy cutoffs, a white V-neck and an army shirt. “I don’t really know what my ‘style’ is, I just put it together. I like vintage and thrift, I guess.”
Lauren and Tim
Lauren and Tim, a designer and a musician, respectively, live down the street from all the commotion. Lauren told us that they came by because: “We thought it would be interesting to see the crowd that gathers for Jay Z.” We were impressed by the outfits that looked like they had been coordinated, but they told us the similarities between their looks was coincidental. Lauren made Tim’s shirt on Saturday (Lauren’s launching a website for her work soon – send us a link when you get it up and running, Laur’!), and the pieces she had on were thrift store finds. We also liked L’s multi-colored hair – apparently it had started black and then washed to different shades of purple and green? Two dye jobs for the price of one!
Sarah
Sarah is a stylist’s assistant who hails from LA and goes for a ’70s vibe with her personal style. She tells us she’s a big Jay Z fan, and that the ensemble she had on was something she put together before her 8AM shift at work this morning. The black jumpsuit she was sporting is one of her go-to “easy Sunday outfits, like a good throw-on,” but what really pulled the look together were her accessories. Her gold skull ring was a find from the Williamsburg Artists and Fleas, and her gold insect bracelet was from a vendor who sells jewelry in Manhattan. “Her name’s Andrea and she’s on the street at 14th and 6th. I go to her all the time. She sells the best jewelry and everything is like ten dollars.” She also had an amazing heirloom necklace: her grandfather’s pocket watch. “You can see the inside in the back. I wore it to the beach once in junior high so it’s a little rusted, but I’ve been wearing it for a really long time.”
Jevoren
Jevoren was in the neighborhood from East Flatbush, and had arrived on the scene mid-afternoon. “I thought I was late, but obviously not. I’m always down for concerts!” The neon yellow sandals that she had on are some of her favorites: “They are really comfortable, I wear them with everything and anything” she said. Her elegant dress was a Club Monaco find; we really liked the contrast of the simple black dress with the bright shoes, but she told us that the outfit wasn’t one that she’d stressed over: “I just grabbed everything and put it on.”
Reporting contributed by Emilie Ruscoe.
