Hello Brooklyn! Jay-Z plans to return home to Brooklyn, New York, after the brand-new Barclays Center arena opens in September 2012 and perform a string of concerts to celebrate.

The Daily News is reporting that Hov will perform eight shows next fall at Barclays. The rapper appeared live from the arena's construction site for an interview with local Fox 5's "Good Day New York" on Monday (September 26) to talk about the performances. He also formally announced that the [article id="1633743"]New Jersey Nets[/article] will officially be known as the Brooklyn Nets when the NBA team moves into the arena next year.

"It's great," Hov said of the move to BK. "I have a reason to come to Brooklyn often, which is fantastic for me because this is my foundation."

Jay started out as an underground rapper in the borough's Marcy Projects back in the 1980s and once lived in the area's 560 State Street. Hov, of course, went from rap star to music mogul to fashion designer to minority owner of the NBA Nets. So when Jay and Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov bring the team to Brooklyn, who better to christen Barclays than Hov himself? "I'm going to open the building with a concert -- or a couple of concerts, actually," he said, without actually confirming the number of shows. It's going to be more than about basketball; it's an entertainment arena."

The "Empire State of Mind" performer also noted that the new sports and entertainment complex has already created jobs and will continue to create jobs once it is opened. Fox News reporter Rosanna Scotto pressed on, changed the subject and asked the father-to-be the sex of his and Beyoncé's baby. "I'm not going to say, of course," Jay responded with a coy smile, although he did confirm that he and his wife already know the baby's sex.

Turning the conversation back to his beloved borough, Jay referenced a famous lyric from the Notorious B.I.G.'s 1994 hit "Juicy." "It's deep love," the God MC said of his admiration for BK. "Biggie had a line, 'Spread love, it's the Brooklyn way.' It's just how we feel, it's a deep love we have for our heroes."