Jay-Z Gets In Christmas Spirit; Helps During Strike, Donates Toys

Def Jam President Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter has helped to relieve New Yorkers caught in the midst of a crippling New York City transit strike and has arranged to commute people to work by chauffeured limo. With state-supervised mediation talks still under negotiation, Jay-Z commuted seven people from the Bronx in one limo, seven in a […]

Def Jam President

Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter has helped to relieve New Yorkers caught in the

midst of a crippling New York City transit strike and has arranged to commute

people to work by chauffeured limo.

With state-supervised mediation talks still under negotiation,

Jay-Z commuted seven people from the Bronx in one limo, seven in a limo through

Queens and two limos for 14 people in Brooklyn since the Def Jam president hails

from Brooklyn.

The rapper, along with Hot 97’s Angie Martinez, made the announcement

on the airwaves yesterday.

Host Angie Martinez said, "Jay-Z has arranged to hook a

few people up with a ride to work. We really want to give these to those people

that are walking across that bridge every morning – the people that got to go

to work. Those are the people we want to give these rides to."

And, while the strike could end soon, Jay-Z challenged his industry

peer to join in the effort.

"Now, we gotta get people to send over some hats,"

Jay-Z said. "Everybody should participate. Some gloves too. Some boots.

Let’s spread it around. It’s Christmas season. Everybody get into the

giving mood. We are all blessed."

The Metropolitan Transit Authority’s contract covering 32,000

transit workers expired last week, and the union called the strike Tuesday morning

despite a state law banning public employees go on strike.

In related Jay Z news, the Def Jam President and Brooklyn MC

will host his annual Marcy Projects Toy Drive. Children from the Marcy Projects

have the opportunity to choose a toy from a collection of $10,000 worth of presents.

The toy drive is set to begin on December 25, 2006 at 11am in

the Marcy Projects. New York MTA workers are expected to return to work until

a resolution is reached between the Transit Union and the Metropolitan Transit

Authority.

The walkout by transit workers is the first in 25 years and

has cost the city’s economy and estimated $400 million a day according to Mayor

Michael Bloomberg.

Additionally, Bloomberg

maintains that the city pays roughly $22 million a day in lost taxes and police

overtime.