The image, taken by Sid Grossman, forms part of the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Centre’s collection… and now, the entire Internet.
The 1939 image shows a man sitting outside a stone building, dressed in typical though stylish attire for the decade: a news-boy cap and a full suit. The man is staring down the camera lens with a distinct sense of attitude and intent.
Best of all, the man from the past has exactly the same poise and swagger as our very own present day Jay-Z. On account of Jay-Z being 43 years old, the man in the photo is of course not him.
Could the man be an old relative of Jay Z?
However, if you really wanted to start a conspiracy theory, you'd only need to look at the titles of Jay-Z's albums and singles.
The rapper's extensive list of titles include: In My Lifetime, The Best of Both Worlds (with R. Kelly), Don't Let Me Die, Young Forever and Encore... mortality and immortality sure do seem to be running themes in the singer's works.
Obviously, it's a case of extreme coincidence rather than time travel.
But it is interesting to note that the photo was taken a decade after The Great Gatsby was written, so the fellow in Harlem may have been familiar with it.
His future doppelganger would later become the executive producer for the classic's 2013 film adaptation as well as the soundtrack.
So, Do You Believe in Reincarnation?