Empire State of Mind

by

Jay-Z

Album: The Blueprint 3      Released: 2009

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This Blueprint 3 track features Jay-Z's fellow New Yorker, Alicia Keys.

On this track the Roc Nation CEO details his rise from the Marcy Projects to his SoHo Penthouse, comparing himself along the way to other famous New Yorkers such as Frank Sinatra and Robert de Niro. New York is the "Empire State."

The title is similar to Nas' 1994 track, "N.Y. State of Mind" and Billy Joel's 1976 song, "New York State of Mind."

This samples "Love on a Two Way Street" by American '60s soul group The Moments.

Keys explained to MTV News about how the collaboration came about: "I've admired Jay-Z for a long time. Reasonable Doubt is my all-time favorite album, period, and he's been on the scene for long time. I always figured that we would do some type of collaboration, and finally, it came together with this. He reached out to me said, 'I have this big New York record. I feel its right for us to do it together. It has this big Frank Sinatra, take-it-there feeling. I feel like you could really do something with it.'
I went by [the studio], took a listen to it. I really felt the energy of New York all through it. It felt classic, it felt so good; the piano obviously was in there. I said, 'I love it, so let's do it.' We communicated a lot during the process. I think we both are really happy with how it came out."

Keys told MTV News that she wanted to make sure she got the hook right. "I did try it a couple of times, but it was more about capturing the kind of grand feeling of it," she explained. "With the way I sang it the first time, I was actually kind of sick, and I knew that he needed the record, so I was like, 'Let me get to it.' I came back and revisited it so that it could be what it is now," she added. "So it actually took a couple of times, but every time, the energy was just so high."

The Hype Williams directed video was filmed on October 1, 2009, in Harlem and around Ground Zero of New York City. The images of the city were intercut with shots of Jay-Z and Keys performing in Times Square. Keys told MTV News: It is a masterpiece video. The way it's put together, it is so New York. You totally get it and understand it. It's artistic. It's hard. It's beautiful. It's like everything. And definitely getting to be in the middle of Times Square on my piano [with] Jay, representing our home city is a triumph. It was unbelievable."

Jay-Z performed the song with his backup singer Bridget Kelly at the Yankees' victory celebration in New York on November 6, 2009. Kelly has regularly filled in for Keys on performances of the song, including one at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2009.

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Comments:

yay. first comment. i don't usually like this kind of music, but this song is cool. i hope it doesn't get overplayed.
- indigo, Adelaide, Australia

Send "Empire State of Mind" Ringtone to your Cell