Not every famous New Yorker grew up in the five boroughs. One of the things that make this city special is its ability to attract the best, brightest, and most interesting people not only from across the country but around the world. This city has a powerful draw on people who are looking to make an impact in a variety of fields, from music to fashion to fine art. These are just six of the many transplants who left their hometowns to become a part of it all in the Big Apple.
Bob Dylan
He’s got walking tours dedicated to his New York history, and more than one Greenwich Village venue has become iconic thanks to hosting him in his early days, but Bob Dylan originally hailed from a spot over 1,000 miles away from those vaunted corners. The man most closely associated with the city’s mid-century folk scene was born Robert Zimmerman in Duluth, Minnesota, and came to the city in 1961. His music belongs to the world now, but it developed into the voice of a generation here in NYC.
Diane von Furstenburg
NYC’s status as a fashion capital wouldn’t be possible without the global assortment of talents that flock here to make their names known, one of the biggest of which is this former Princess. Born in Belgium, Diane von Furstenberg attended fashion school in Geneva and Madrid before making the big move across the Atlantic. Once she arrived in New York she quickly made a name for herself with her iconic wrap dress, and since then her name has been worn by the likes of Michelle Obama and the Princess of Cambridge.
Andy Warhol
Art is one of New York’s greatest attractions, with countless galleries and museums filled with works of global importance that touch every corner of the mind. Andy Warhol’s ruminations on fame and image defined the pop art movement and made him an international figure and the ultimate New York tastemaker. Warhol was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, earning his degree in design from Carnegie Mellon University before he moved to NYC to start a career as an illustrator. Today, his native town is home to the Andy Warhol Museum, but the streets where he became a legend are right here in New York City.
Sean Combs
The rap impresario who “ran the city” in 2003 and jump-started the careers of beloved artists like the Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige is one of the foremost musical icons of the city, with his Bad Boy Records headquartered right up the block from Times Square. Although technically born in Harlem, Sean “Diddy” Combs” grew up just outside the city in Mount Vernon. He quickly made his way into NYC with an internship at Uptown Records in his early 20s though, and the rest is hip-hop (and New York) history.
Mike Bloomberg
It’s hard to get any more accomplished in NYC than being elected mayor, but even before that Michael Bloomberg had made a name for himself as a financial entrepreneur, with his Bloomberg financial terminals in every financial office across the country. The billionaire businessman’s origins are north of the city in the greater Boston area, where he grew up before coming to the city to work on Wall Street. Bloomberg famously stood by his guns as a loyal Red Sox fan during his tenure as mayor, taking the ire of Yankee fans in stride.
Frank Sinatra
He might be best known for the famous ode “New York, New York,” but as any true fan of old blue eyes can tell you, he was born and raised across the river in Hoboken, New Jersey. Young Frank spent his days honing his beloved singing voice in clubs across the Garden State before selling out packed houses like NYC’s Carnegie Hall and the Paramount Theater. He’s still a New York icon today, with a performing arts high school in Astoria, Queens bearing his name.
