Culture

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Founders of our city, our nation, and our culture have all called DJQ home. Explore our community’s culture-makers and the institutions keeping their spirit alive, today and for generations to come.

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Neighborhood Guides

  • Art & Architecture Guide

    NYC’s art and architectural history is alive in DJQ. Walk down DJQ’s memory lane, and make some new memories of your own.

    Take a Tour

  • Restaurant Week

    DJQ is a foodie’s paradise, full of authentic cuisines from around the world. Check out some of our favorite neighborhood eats.

    Coming Soon

  • Secondhand Shopping Map

    DJQ is home to retailers selling goods from every decade. Uncover hidden gems sure to make you stand out.

    Coming Soon

Cultural Institutions

  • A large red-brick church with two tall towers, arched windows, and gothic architectural details, surrounded by green trees and black fencing, on a sunny day.

    Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning

    161-4 Jamaica Ave

    Founded in 1972, JCAL inspires youth to pursue an interest in the arts, showcases emerging artists and performers, and has delivered multidisciplinary, multicultural programs to more than three generations in Queens.

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  • king manor house

    King Manor Museum

    150-03 Jamaica Ave

    King Manor Museum interprets founding father Rufus King’s political legacy and antislavery history to teach critical thinking for a healthier democracy.

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  • Group of people performing traditional African dance and drumming on stage, dressed in colorful African attire, with a man in the center dancing energetically.

    The Afrikan Poetry Theatre

    17603 Jamaica Ave

    The Afrikan Poetry Theatre preserves the legacy of the Black Arts Movement through cross-cultural exchange and education.

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  • A male singer performing on stage with a jazz band, wearing a black suit with shiny details, holding a microphone, with musicians playing bass, drums, and clarinet in the background.

    Cultural Collaborative Jamaica

    8931 161st St #805

    CCJ unites artists, arts organizations, local businesses and educational leaders in efforts to strengthen community and economic development in Jamaica, Queens.

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Home to Hip-Hop

Learn more about the musicians who found their sound in DJQ.

  • Tribe Called Quest members

    A Tribe Called Quest

    Founding members Kamaal Ibn John Fareed (Q-Tip) and Malik Izaak Taylor (Phife Dawg) once called DJQ home. The group is regarded as a pioneer of alternative hip-hop, merging jazz music traditions with hip-hop.

  • A woman with big curly platinum blonde hair singing on stage, wearing a pink tulle dress and patterned pants, surrounded by backup dancers in black outfits with fishnet stockings. She’s holding a pink microphone and appears to be performing energetically.

    Nicki Minaj

    Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty was raised in South Jamaica. Known as the “Queen of Rap,” Minaj is credited as a driving force in the mainstream resurgence of female rap since the 2010s.

    Image credit: Jennifer, Flickr

  • Two men wearing leather jackets and hats face each other, one with a microphone, in a black and white photo.

    Run-DMC

    Founding members Reverend Joseph Simmons (Run), Darryl McDaniels (DMC) and Jason Mizell (Jam Master Jay) were born and raised in Hollis, a stone’s throw from DJQ. They pioneered new-school hip-hop, ushering in a golden age.

    Image credit: Ian Dryden, Los Angeles Times

  • Two women smiling and posing, one with long dark wavy hair and the other with dark hair in a bun, wearing shiny silver and black outfits, against a dark background.

    Pepa

    Half of the duo Salt-N-Pepa, Sandra Denton, grew up Jamaica. The duo’s debut album, Hot, Cool & Vicious (1986), sold more than 1 million copies in the US, making Salt-N-Pepa the first female rap act to achieve gold and platinum status.

    Image credit: David Burke

Recent Highlights