Jerrold L. Williams Tribute

Found some more pics of Jay that I will be adding soon.  I will be also adding pics of family and friends.  If you add a pic please put a caption on the pic. The family does not know all of Jay's friends and we would like to put names to faces.  Thanks a bunch & Much love to you all

I will be adding more pics so that Jay's son's will see the great legacy of their dad.  If you have more pics of Jay, please add them.  Love, peace and blessings to you all. 

Thank you to everyone who contributed pics so that we have 100 pics of Jay and family. I know Jay is looking down happy and what has been done to honor him. Keep posting the stories and memories.  They are very encouraging. Micheal Jackson has gone on as well. Funny how both Jerrold and Michael touched the lives of people and how both spread their love through the gifts they were given. It's not about what you have, but who you are inside and how you take 100% of yourself and pour it into the lives you can touch to the point where those you touch KNOW they've been affected by you. Neither Jerrold or Michael was perfect, but despite natural flaws they still managed to give of themselves in what can be call perfection. May we learn from them, grow from them and give like them. Love and blessing to you all.

Every picture posted is in memory of Jerrold. He was the real deal. Thank you to every brother who embraced him as a brother and friend. Thank you to every woman who shared their heart, their love and their friendship with Jay. Jay was like a fine wine, he got better and better with time. He was good growing up but he sure turned out to be one of the great ones. If you have pictures that honor Jay please feel free to either send them to me or post them. Before June is out I plan to have 100 pictures posted and I'm sure before the year is out people all over will see and experience Jay like never before. God bless you all.  May we al grow closer together as Jay watches over us.

Jay made his life count for something. He could have been a famous basketball player but then he would be tied to the team, he could have been a well-known popular rapper but he would have been tied to some record label. Instead he drove trucks. With that truck Jay touched the lives of many people. He left an impression on the heart and mind of everyone he met. His life meant something. It was REAL. Because of who he was many of us are better people for that. He wasn't perfect but he did get the many message right.  Love was his message and sharing it with the people he met is his legacy. I am so thankful that I was blessed to have him as a brother and friend. Happy Birthday Jay!

NOW: What type of impression will you leave.  What will they say when you're gone. Jay ran the race and finished his course, although my heart says God it was too short. But I was blessed to have known him and grown from him and laughed with him and learned from him. Now it's up to me to be the best I can be to all those I come into contact with. It's up to me to leave an impression that brings about change. SO, I aks you friends and family of Jay :Wwhat will you do with the time God has given YOU?

 Love is the message, you have the seed, its up to you to plant that seed and let it grow. Jay did and every day his love still flows...

JERROLD USED TO HAVE A CRANBERRY RED JETTA. IT WAS HIS FIRST NEW CAR. JAY USED TO GET FROM CAMBRIA TO BED STUY (BROOKLYN FOR THE NON-NEWYORKERS) IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES DOING 90-100 ALL THE WAY. MOST PEOPLE WOULD NEVER LET YOU DRIVE THEIR NEW CAR, NOT JAY. JAY WOULD LEND PEOPLE HIS CAR. HE WAS GOOD LIKE THAT. THE JETTA YEARS WERE SOME EXCITING TIMES AND IT OPENED THE DOOR TO MEETING A WHOLE NEW GROUP OF PEOPLE MANY WHO ARE STILL TODAY. FAMILY. rAISE UP A TOAST TO JETTA JAY, DRIVE ON JAY, DRIVE ON.....

Dear Big Brother,

Although you are not here in body, you're always in my heart and I want to give you a Valentine. My Valentine to you is to tell your son's I love them often so they know they are important. My Valentine is to call as many of your peeps as I can and let them know they were important so they know you really cared. My Valentine is to smile/laugh at least once a day because your laugh and smiled always lit up my life. Most importantly I am going to send kisses up to heaven for you and pop and Jesus. Because I know when I reach those pearly gates there will stand the 3 most important men in my life that are in glory. I love you Jay and I know I always will.....

Thanksgiving and Christmas was Jerrold\'s most favorite time of the year. Before every Thanksgiving Jay would give mom a call and ask her to set aside one of her delicious sweet potatoe pies. Jay would try his best to make it home for Thanksgiving or shortly after to make sure no one got to his pie. What Jay loved the most was that it was a time for family to get together and give thanks for one another. Every Christmas Jay would make sure he took care of his boys and me and mom. Last Christmas Jay and I had a chance to go shopping. Christmas was soooo much fun. Jay must have called everyone in America he knew during those holidays just to let them know he was thinking of them. If he could he would have been at everyone\'s home. This holiday let\'s give thanks that we knew and loved Jay. I know he will be looking down at all of us and happy we are together. I love you big brother, you\'re always in my heart...

Jay was a master lyricist. His flow was unique and his lyrics cutting edge. Many people could not understand how Jay could flow so strong, so long and about so many things. Jay would read newspapers and magazines so he would be up on current events. He would speak to older family members to get a feel about the country he lived in and the world he was apart of. Jay listened to the heart of the people who were struggling and was in tune with the hip hop genre and what needed to be portrayed. He let all of these things work within his mind. A natural dreamer Jay let his mind take him to next heights and different levels. SO his lyrics were deep, some times funny  but always eloquently delivered and good for the soul. He may not have been the best at playing the dozens or ragging on folk but if you put a mike in his hands he would blow you away...   To all the other rappers, the best of the best is now at rest.  Peace & Love  

Jerrold loved basketball. Not only was he phenomenal on the courts in Cambria but he was also a start player on his team in High Shcool.  Many colleges wanted to recruit him to play professionally.  Jay met Domonique Wilkins who he played ball with in Washington, NC at the Rec Center when Domonique would be visiting his grandmother.  They got along so well Jay would tell everyone that Domonique was his cousin (and he just may be...) Even with all his potential to be a pro ball player, Jay decided to take another route in life but he never gave up the love of the game. If you saw Jay you would see his basketball hoop pendant with diamonds encrusted around the rim, that was his favorite piece of jewelry. Jay was the man on the court and off the court, a true superstar.

Jerrold has a huge family on both sides.  His mom was one of 13 children born to Edward and Ethel Nelson. Eight of them made it to adulthood and only 2 are living now (his mom & Uncle Will). His dad, son of the late Minister William David Williams and his wife Minnie was one of 11 children. Only three of them are still with us (Uncle Moses, Uncle Julius and Aunt Sissy).Between his mom and dad's side there are 39 1st cousins. There are hundreds of 2nd and third cousins: not one hundred, HUNDREDS of them.  Everyone one of them unqiue, gifted and full of the same love the reaches through each of us.

Too young to stay up and watch Chiller Theater.  Every Saturday morning Jerrold, Dwayne and Carol would go down in the basement cut out all the lights and watch monster movies and chiller theater. Or there was the other favorites, Batman, Bruce Lee, Cato and the Green Hornet.

Growing up the shows changed that the three of them watched but not the fun they shared being together. Even when apart the three of them often called to talk about their new favorite TV event; watching Jamar play ball.  Dwayne the proud papa and Jerrold and Carol the proud Aunt and Uncle.

Jerrold has 3 sons.  He wanted children but didn't think he would have any. After the birth of his 1st son Jalik, Jerrold decided it was time to make some serious changes. He completed trucking school and went on the road driving. Jay fell in love with the road because it was a way for him to reach people all over the country.  Jalik, Neuquan and DaShaun were his pride and joy, reaching people across this country was his passion.

He was born in Brooklyn, New York. Jerrold would read the NY Times cover to cover and used a lot of the content of his lyrics from current events. Jerrold has 2 godbrothers both named Greg.  He also has 2 god sisters.