South Jamaica, Queens

South Jamaica, known colloquially as Southside, is a neighborhood  in the New York City borough of Queens, located south of downtown Jamaica, the Long Island Rail Road tracks Jamaica Avenue and Liberty Avenue. The western border is the Van Wyck Expressway, and it continues in the east towards the neighboring community of St. Albans and to Merrick Boulevard.

South Jamaica is largely African-American, with increasing numbers of Latin American and West Indian immigrants moving into the community in recent decades. Also, a small population of Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Guyanese, Haitians, and Trinidadians live in this area. The area is largely a working-class community consisting primarily of suburban one and two-family houses and a number of smaller apartment buildings, along with some public housing projects.

York College, part of the City University of New York system, is now located in the community. August Martin High School is located southeast of the neighborhood, in Rochdale Village.

The AirTrain JFK route starts at the Jamaica station and continues towards JFK International Airport on its route elevated high over the Van Wyck Expressway.

The Baisley Park Houses and South Jamaica Houses housing projects are located in this community.

Notable residents

 * Pharoahe Monch, Rapper.
 * Bob Beamon, Olympic Athlete and world record holder in the long jump for 23 years.
 * Rafer Alston, NBA Basketball Player.
 * Ja Rule, Rapper
 * 50 Cent, Rapper
 * Lloyd Banks, Rapper
 * Nicki Minaj, Female Rapper, Singer.
 * Lamar Odom, Los Angelas Lakers Small Forward, 2x NBA Champion
 * Tony Yayo, Rapper
 * Lost Boyz, Rap Group
 * Onyx, Rap Group
 * L'vel Maraj (Jalen Burnette),Singer, Rapper