Music Friday: 'Jenny From the Block' Sings, 'Don't Be Fooled By the Rocks That I Got'

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you fun songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the title or lyrics. Today, our spotlight shines on Jennifer Lopez, who set the Internet abuzz this past week when she revealed the super-rare 8.5-carat green diamond engagement ring she received from Ben Affleck — nearly 20 years after their first engagement became a tabloid sensation.

In November of 2002, Lopez famously accepted a 6.1-carat pink diamond engagement ring from Affleck, but the couple never made it to the alter.

Ironically, only a few weeks earlier, at the end of September 2002, the singer/actress scored a big hit with "Jenny From the Block," a song that focused on her eye-popping jewelry and emphasized that, despite her new fortune and fame, she remained true to her humble beginnings.

The catchy refrain goes like this: "Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got / I'm still, I'm still Jenny from the block / Used to have a little, now I have a lot / No matter where I go I know I came from, from the Bronx."

It's hard to imagine that today's A-lister was once a backup dancer for New Kids on the Block and a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series In Living Color.

"Jenny from the Block" was released as the lead single from Lopez's third studio album, This is Me… Then. It charted in 24 countries, including a #3 position on the US Billboard Hot 100 and a #1 spot on the Canadian Singles chart.

Even though it's nearly 20 years old, "Jenny From the Block" continues to be Lopez's signature song. In fact, she included it in a medley for the Super Bowl LIV halftime show in February of 2020.

Please check out the video of Lopez performing "Jenny From the Block." The lyrics are below if you'd like to sing along…

"Jenny From the Block"
Written by Jennifer Lopez, Troy Oliver, Andre Deyo, Samuel Barnes, Jean Claude Olivier, Jose Fernando Arbex Miro, Lawrence Parker, Scott Sterling, Michael Oliver, David Styles and Jason Phillips. Performed by Jennifer Lopez.

Children growing, women producing
Men go work, and some go stealing
Everyone's got to make a living

Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got
I'm still, I'm still Jenny from the block
Used to have a little, now I have a lot
No matter where I go I know I came from

Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got
I'm still, I'm still Jenny from the block
Used to have a little, now I have a lot
No matter where I go I know I came from, from the Bronx

From "In Livin' Color" to movie scripts
To "On the 6" to "J.Lo" to this, headline clips
I stay grounded as the amounts roll in
I'm real I thought I told ya, I'm really been on Oprah, that's just me
Nothin' phony, don't hate on me
What you get is what you see, oh

Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got
I'm still, I'm still Jenny from the block
Used to have a little, now I have a lot
No matter where I go I know I came from, from the Bronx

Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got
I'm still, I'm still Jenny from the block
Used to have a little, now I have a lot
No matter where I go I know I came from, from the Bronx

I'm down to earth like this, rockin' this business
I've grown up so much
I'm in control and lovin' it, rumors got me laughin' kid
I love my life and my public
Put God first and can't forget to stay real
To me it's like breathing, yeah

Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got
I'm still, I'm still Jenny from the block
Used to have a little, now I have a lot
No matter where I go I know I came from, from the Bronx

Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got
I'm still, I'm still Jenny from the block
Used to have a little, now I have a lot
No matter where I go I know I came from

Yo, it take hard work to cash checks
So don't be fooled by the rocks that I got, they're assets
You get back what you put out
If even if you take the good route, can't count the hood out

After a while you'll know who to blend with
Just keep it real with the ones you came in with
Best thing to do is stay low, LOX and JLo
(Everyone's got to make a livin')
They act like they don't, but they know, yeah

Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got
I'm still, I'm still Jenny from the block
Used to have a little, now I have a lot
No matter where I go I know I came from, from the Bronx

Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got
I'm still, I'm still Jenny from the block
Used to have a little, now I have a lot
No matter where I go I know I came from, from the Bronx

Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got
I'm still, I'm still Jenny from the block
Used to have a little, now I have a lot
No matter where I go I know I came from, from the Bronx

Don't be fooled by the rocks that I got
I'm still, I'm still Jenny from the block
Used to have a little, now I have a lot
No matter where I go I know I came from, from the Bronx

Credit: Image by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from Washington D.C, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Mastercard Survey: Retail Jewelry Sector Rides a Wave of Great Sales Results

Retail jewelry sales in March of 2022 grew 11.9% compared to March 2021, according to statistics released by Mastercard SpendingPulse™.

The numbers are even more impressive when comparing last month's jewelry sales to pre-pandemic levels. March 2022 jewelry sales were a whopping 78.8% higher than the tallies recorded in March of 2019.

The jewelry sector has been riding a wave of great sales data that started in the summer of 2021. That's when Mastercard singled out “jewelry” as the fastest growing retail sector, with July 2021 sales jumping a whopping 54.2% compared to pre-pandemic July 2019 levels.

Then, in December, the Mastercard report emphasized how "smaller boxes had a big impact" during the holiday season, as jewelry sales soared 32% during the period that spanned November 1 through December 24.

The most recent Mastercard report emphasized how consumers' increased mobility has directly impacted their shopping habits. In-store sales, for instance, jumped 11.2% in March 2022 vs March 2021.

Other signs that consumers are getting back to their routines was the strong year-over-year performance of the airline industry (+44.8% in March), restaurants (+19.1%) and lodging (+16.0%).

Hawaii was the state with the strongest sales growth in March (up 12.2%) as more honeymooners and tourists chose that destination, according to the survey. March's other top-performing states were Wyoming (+12.2%), Colorado (+11.0%), Florida (+9.7%) and Texas (+9.1%).

“Retail sales remain strong but are stabilizing as consumers resume spending on passion areas like travel, live entertainment, indoor dining and other in-person activities,” said Steve Sadove, senior advisor for Mastercard and former CEO and Chairman of Saks Incorporated. “After nearly two years of cautious optimism around the broader reopening, it’s a healthy sign that consumers are returning to a balanced level of spending across retail sectors and services.”

Mastercard SpendingPulse™ reports on US retail sales across all payment types. The findings are based on aggregate sales activity in the Mastercard payments network, coupled with survey-based estimates for certain other payment forms, such as cash and check

Credits: Shopper image by Bigstockphoto.com. Mastercard SpendingPulse, U.S. Snapshot - March 2022 table courtesy of Business Wire.

Atlanta Braves' 2021 World Series Ring Flips Open to Reveal Illuminated Truist Park

Featuring 775 gemstones with a total weight of 13.3 carats, the Atlanta Braves' 2021 World Series ring includes a hidden, never-before-seen innovation — the top flips open to reveal a micro-LED illuminated replica of Truist Park.

Overall, the 14-karat gold ring tells the story of a championship journey through the use of 708 round diamonds, 44 emerald-cut diamonds, three princess-cut diamonds, four custom-cut rubies, four princess-cut rubies, 11 round rubies and one white pearl.

“The 2021 World Series ring is truly a feat of jewelry engineering and detailed storytelling. It is a stunning tribute to the Braves and their unwavering commitment to excellence this season,” said Chris Poitras VP & COO of Jostens Professional Sports Division.

When the Braves' players, coaches and staff received their rings during a pregame on-field ceremony this past Saturday, recipients were dazzled by the highly detailed rendering of Truist Park that was hiding behind the actual ring top.

Set within the stands of miniature Truist Park are 11 rubies, with each gem placed in the exact location where the Braves' 11 World Series home runs were hit against the Houston Astros on the way to the championship.

A close look at the centerfield area reveals the number "44," a nod to the jersey number of Braves legend Hank Aaron. The grounds crew at Truist Park had manicured a "44" into the grass field during a season-long tribute to the former slugger, who died in January of 2021 at the age of 86.

When flipped opened, the opposite side of the ring top includes the first three words of a memorable phrase penned by outfielder Joc Pederson in an article for the Player’s Tribune. “WE ARE THOSE…” represents the beginning of a salty line that Pederson used to describe his team's chances of winning it all in the postseason.

The ring top features the Braves “A” logo, created in contrasting 18.71-karat white gold, which pays homage to the founding of the franchise in the year 1871. Exactly 150 diamonds are pavé-set within the “A,” honoring the 150 years of franchise history. Surrounding the logo and forming a circle are an additional 193 brilliant-cut diamonds.

The words "WORLD CHAMPIONS" accent the top and bottom of the ring, set expertly with 113 diamonds. Adorning the left and right sides of the ring top are two rows of 11 emerald-cut diamonds. When combined, there are 44 emerald-cut diamonds, which celebrate Aaron's number.

Set in the four corners of the ring top are princess-cut rubies, which represent the four World Series championships achieved by the Braves.

The left side of the ring features the recipient’s name, the Braves tomahawk logo made with four custom-cut rubies and the player's jersey number set with diamonds. The bricks of Truist Park’s famous right field wall are recreated in fine detail in the background.

The right side of the ring displays the Atlanta Braves wordmark logo in the 1972 font. Below the logo is the Commissioner’s Trophy set with a single genuine white pearl. The unique use of the pearl on this championship ring is in reference to Pederson’s famous pearl necklace, which was a good luck charm during the team's 2021 postseason run.

Set in the base of the trophy are four round diamonds, honoring the Braves' fourth straight NL East Championship. Surrounding the Trophy is a stylized baseball diamond, with three princess-cut diamonds set at first, second and third base. An additional 16 round diamonds adorn the base paths.

In total, there are 23 diamonds on the right side of the ring, symbolizing the 23 home runs hit by the Braves during the 2021 postseason. Completing the right side of the ring is the championship year, 2021, and the brick wall detail.

As an added element of personalization, each player's unique signature is engraved on the interior palm of the ring.

Credits: Images courtesy of Jostens.