Business & Tech
Jay-Z: Wing King of Fort Greene?
Shawn Carter invested in his cousin's buffalo wing joint in Fort Greene.
He’s got 99 problems, but a buffalo wing franchise ain’t one.
Jay-Z has invested in his cousin’s new buffalo wing joint, Buffalo Boss at Fulton Street and Flatbush Avenue, and business is booming.
“It’s like the Oprah effect, except it’s the Jay-Z effect!” said Jamar White, the cousin of the hip-hop legend. “We saw a 60 percent increase in business yesterday.”
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White opened his buffalo wing delivery joint only three months ago, but people really began talking on Tuesday, when hip-hop blogs first mentioned the funding from Brooklyn’s finest.
“[Jay-Z] is a smart businessman,” said White. “After an hour-long chat he was like, ‘Alright, let’s do it.’”
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And now White is dreaming big.
“This is soon to be the next great American franchise,” he said.
That remains to be seen, but the wings were certainly tasty.
For $8 you can get 10 wings ranging from hot to “N-sinerator.”
The hot wings had a delicious balance of heat and tangy flavor. And the OMG wings leaned more towards pure heat, as they should.
The menu also features some novelties typically found only at Coney Island, like a deep fried Twinkie, Snickers bar, or Oreo.
Of course, this isn't Jay-Z's most high profile investment in the borough. He also holds a small stake in the Brooklyn-bound New Jersey Nets, and is usually front and center during any major promotion involving the future of the team.
But White and his business partner, Ronald Lee had little time on Wednesday at around lunchtime to discuss J-Hova's business savvy.
The phones were ringing constantly, and deliverymen were rushing in and out of the store.
But hey, you can’t knock the hustle.
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