Jennifer Lopez is yet again facing a wave of online criticism after declaring that only people born in New York City can truly call themselves New Yorkers during her New York subway appearance on SubwayTakes. Her comment has gone viral and even sparked a heated debate about identity, immigration, and belonging in one of the world’s most diverse cities.
The controversy began during Lopez’s appearance this week on the popular video series SubwayTakes, hosted by Kareem Rahma. Lopez, who was born in the Bronx to Puerto Rican parents, was asked to share a strong opinion while riding the New York City subway to promote her upcoming Netflix romantic comedy Office Romance.
Her first take? “You have to be born in New York to be a New Yorker,” Lopez said. “Everybody wants to claim our city, but you have to be born in New York. You have to be born in one of the five boroughs to be a New Yorker.” Rahma, who moved to New York in 2012, pushed back on the claim, noting that many longtime residents told him a decade of living in the city was enough to earn the title. However, Lopez remained firm.
“When you’re born in New York is when you’re really a New Yorker,” she replied. “I said what I said. I meant it. Jenny from the block forever, baby.” The exchange quickly went viral, drawing millions of views and triggering a flood of reactions across social media. Some users supported Lopez’s perspective, arguing that growing up in the city creates a unique cultural identity that can’t be replicated by newcomers. Others accused the singer of gatekeeping a city famous for welcoming people from around the world.
The opinion has sparked a debate
As expected, Lopez’s strong opinions about branding yourself as a “New Yorker” have invited no shortage of online arguments. On top of contesting her gatekeeping, some people not only accused her of being a fake New Yorker these days but also questioned how long she has lived in the city. For others, Lopez’s sentiments on being a “native” seem to have another meaning.
“She’s either saying this on purpose as a subtle nudge to American citizenship or she’s so tone deaf she has no idea. The absolute audacity to say this about New York but be on the side of raging liberals,” claims one X commenter. Another X user pointed out New York’s legacy as a city of migrants, “This is one of the dumbest takes ever for a city of immigrants. And one of the most welcoming cities in the world.”
Others sarcastically came to Lopez’s defense, especially with comments like, “She’s right. Most NYers feel this way. Nothing worse than a transplant telling natives what is and isn’t in our own city.” In any case, certain commenters laid out an unspoken rule of thumb: “10 years or so and you’re a NYCer. I wonder if @JLO has consistently lived in the city for 10 months let alone 10 years.” For the record, Lopez primarily lives in her $18 million mansion in Hidden Hills, California.
