Recently, Tracy Morgan and TBS held a commemorative ribbon cutting ceremony for Marcy Playground in Brooklyn, celebrating a newly-refurbished basketball court and mural on behalf of “The Last O.G.,” which premiered on April 3. The project was part of the Adopt-a-Park program and was created to give back to the Brooklyn community, where the show is set. In addition to Tracy and representatives of TBS, also in attendance were NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, City Council Member Robert Cornegy, District Manager for Community Board 3 Henry Butler, and various community members.
During the ceremony, Tracy Morgan discussed having grown up using that very playground and what an honor it was to be giving back to his community. With second chances being one of the central themes of”The Last O.G.,” the project sought to give the community park a second chance of its own.
NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, FAICP, yesterday joined Actor/ComedianTracy Morgan, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, City Council Member Robert Cornegy, District Manager for Community Board 3 Henry Butler, representatives from TBS, and community members to officially unveil newly refurbished basketball courts and an artistic mural at Marcy Playground in Brooklyn. The project was sponsored by TBS and Morgan’s new series “The Last O.G.” for $215,000 through the Adopt-a-Park program.
“It is always wonderful to see any of Parks’ well-loved basketball courts get refurbished, and we are thrilled to have partnered with TBS and Tracy Morgan to beautify the ones at Marcy Playground,” said Commissioner Silver. “This is the first major renovation to the courts in more than 10 years, and a welcome upgrade for neighborhood basketball in Bed Stuy.”
“I played on this court as a kid. I actually cut my finger once on a glass bottle here and the blood I spilled on the court was for these kids. This is for Brooklyn. It makes me so happy,” said Tracy Morgan.
“A key theme of ‘The Last O.G.’ is centered around second chances and that has found its way into every facet of our campaign,” said Melissa Chambless, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing for TBS and TNT. “What better way to celebrate than for TBS to give a neighborhood court its own ‘second chance’ with an O.G.-inspired transformation? Marcy Playground is legendary and an important place for the surrounding community to gather. We are proud to give back to the Brooklyn neighborhood who hosted the show’s production and leave a lasting piece of art.”
“Brooklyn is proud to welcome back one of its most famous sons, and we’re even prouder that he’s giving back in a real way to the community that raised him,” said Borough President Adams. “Thanks to Tracy and TBS for making it possible for NYC Parks to refurbish Marcy Playground, a beloved Bedford-Stuyvesant park that was in need of some TLC. Neighborhood investments like these make Brooklyn a better place to raise healthy children and families.”
“This refurbishment is a testament to the special place that this community holds in the hearts of those who call it home,” said Council Member Cornegy. “We are extremely grateful to TBS and star of ‘The Last O.G.,’ and Bed Stuy native, Tracy Morgan, for partnering with the amazing team at NYC Parks to make this happen.”
Renovated features of the courts include new asphalt, four new polycarbonate backboards, and a mural designed by artist ASKEW ONE, recognized worldwide for his unique approach to graffiti art. The specific site was chosen for Tracy Morgan’s personal connection to the adjacent Marcy Houses where he grew up, and in promotion of the new show.
“The Last O.G.” starring Tracy Morgan, Tiffany Haddish, and Cedric the Entertainer is a new TBS comedy centering on Tray (Morgan), an ex-con who is shocked to see how much his Brooklyn neighborhood and the community he left behind have changed during his 15-year prison stint. Both Morgan and Haddish have their own very personal stories of second chances and redemption that tie into broader topics of gentrification, change and adaptation. Jordan Peele, fresh off of his “Get Out” directorial debut and Academy Award win, is the executive producer of this groundbreaking show that mixes satire and dark comedy. New episodes of “The Last O.G.” air Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m. on TBS.
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