Empire State of Mind

## Single by Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys

> When I first heard the track… I was sure it would be a hit. It was gorgeous. My instinct was to dirty it up, to tell stories of the city's gritty side, to use stories about hustling and getting hustled to add tension to the soaring beauty of the chorus.
>
> Jay-Z in his 2010 biography, *Decoded*

"**Empire State of Mind**" is a song performed by Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys from the former's 11th studio album, *The Blueprint 3* (2009). It was released as a single on October 20, 2009, and contains a sample of the 1968 ballad "Love on a Two-Way Street" performed by The Moments. It peaked at No. 1 on the *Billboard* Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks. It was nominated for three Grammy Awards and won in the two categories, Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.

In 2023, a new version was created, called "New York (Concept de Paris)," mashed with the song "New York Is Killing Me" by Gill Scott-Heron. He performed it live at Paris' Louis Vuitton Foundation.

## Background

The track was originally written during February 2009 by Angela Hunte and Janet "Jnay" Sewell-Ulepic in London, England, where they were homesick. The two submitted the demo to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label, though received negative reviews. However, later at a "summer BBQ, EMI's Jon "Big Jon" Platt" heard the record and believed it to be perfect for Jay-Z. Once it was sent, Jay-Z rewrote the verses and kept the "New York" hook. He considered collaborating with either Alicia Keys or Mary J. Blige, and chose Keys because of the piano.

Hunte told *Billboard*, "I come from the same building where he [Jay-Z] lived, and we knew each other from Brooklyn, but we never worked together. Not in a million years did I think I'd make this hit for him. I still have no words even for the World Series performance. You get your hopes up with artists but then things happen and the record doesn't make it for whatever reason. But Jay loved the song, it made the album and it sounds crazy."

Alicia Keys recalled to *Billboard* that there was a concern if "Empire" was "too New York," though continued in the email, "Little did we know EVERYONE would understand it because it's not just about New York, it's about the HOPE that New York represents; the possibility. The chance to follow your dreams no matter who you are or where you come from."

## Critical reception

*Pitchfork* described it as checking off "most of the Boisterous Big Apple Anthem boxes" and "always going to resonate with."

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro: JAY-Z]

Yeah

[Verse 1: JAY-Z, *Alicia Keys*]

Yeah, I'm out that Brooklyn, now I'm down in Tribeca

Right next to De Niro, but I'll be hood forever

I'm the new Sinatra, and since I made it here

I can make it anywhere, yeah, they love me everywhere

I used to cop in Harlem, hola, my Dominicanos (Dímelo!)

Right there up on Broadway, brought me back to that McDonald's

Took it to my stash spot, 560 State Street

Catch me in the kitchen, like a Simmons whippin' pastry

Cruisin' down 8th Street, off-white Lexus

Drivin' so slow, but BK is from Texas

Me? I'm out that Bed-Stuy, home of that boy Biggie

Now I live on Billboard and I brought my boys with me

Say "What up?" to Ty Ty, still sippin' Mai Tais

Sittin' courtside, Knicks and Nets give me high fives

N\*\*\*a, I be spiked out (*Come on*), I could trip a referee (*Come on*)

Tell by my attitude (*Come on*) that I'm most definitely from

[Chorus: Alicia Keys, *JAY-Z*]

In New York (*Ayy*, uh, yeah; *aha*)

Concrete jungle (*Yeah*) where dreams are made of

There's nothin' you can't do (*Yeah, okay*)

Now you're in New York (*Aha, aha, aha*; uh, yeah)

These streets will make you feel brand-new (*New*)

Big lights will inspire you (*Come on*) (Okay)

Let's hear it for New York (*You welcome, OG*; uh)

New York (Yeah), New York (Uh, *I made you hot, n\*\*\*a*)

[Verse 2: JAY-Z, *Alicia Keys*]

Catch me at the X with OG at a Yankee game

Shit, I made the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can

You should know I bleed blue, but I ain't a Crip though

But I got a gang of n\*\*\*as walkin' with my clique though

Welcome to the meltin' pot, corners where we sellin' rock

Afrika Bambaataa shit, home of the hip-hop

Yellow cab, g\*psy cab, dollar cab, holla back

For foreigners, it ain't fair, they act like they forgot how to add

Eight million stories out there in the naked

City, it's a pity half of y'all won't make it

Me? I gotta plug Special Ed, "I Got It Made"

If Jeezy's payin' LeBron, I'm payin' Dwyane Wade

Three dice cee-lo, three-card Marley

Labor Day Parade—rest in peace, Bob Marley

Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade (Come on, come on)

Long live the king, yo (*Come on*)—I'm from the Empire State, that's

[Chorus: Alicia Keys, *JAY-Z*]

In New York (*Ayy*; uh, yeah)

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of

There's nothin' you can't do (*That boy good, okay*)

Now you're in New York (Uh, yeah, *welcome to the bright lights, baby*)

These streets will make you feel brand-new

Big lights will inspire you (Okay)

Let's hear it for New York (Uh)

New York (Yeah), New York (Uh)

[Verse 3: JAY-Z, *Alicia Keys*]

Lights is blinding, girls need blinders

So they can step out of bounds quick, the side lines is

Lined with casualties who sip the life casually

Then gradually become worse—don't bite the apple, Eve!

Caught up in the in-crowd, now you're in-style

Into the winter gets cold, en vogue with your skin out

City of sin is a pity on a whim

Good girls gone bad, the city's filled with them

Mami took a bus trip, now she got her bust out

Everybody ride her, just like a bus route

"Hail Mary" to the city, you're a virgin

And Jesus can't save you, life starts when the church end

Came here for school, graduated to the high life

Ball players, rap stars, addicted to the limelight

MDMA (*Come on*) got you feelin' like a champion (*Come on*)

The city never sleeps (*Come on*), better slip you a Ambien

[Chorus: Alicia Keys, *JAY-Z*]

In New York (*Ayy, ow*, uh, yeah)

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of

There's nothin' you can't do (Okay)

Now you're in New York (Uh, yeah)

These streets will make you feel brand-new

Big lights will inspire you (Okay)

Let's hear it for New York (Uh)

New York (Yeah), New York (Uh)

[Bridge: Alicia Keys]

One hand in the air for the big city (Oh)

Street lights, big dreams, all lookin' pretty (Oh)

No place in the world that could compare (Nah)

Put your lighters in the air, everybody say

"Yeah, yeah" (Come on, come on)

"Yeah, yeah" (Come on)

[Chorus: Alicia Keys]

In New York (Uh, yeah)

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of

There's nothin' you can't do (Okay)

Now you're in New York (Uh, yeah)

These streets will make you feel brand-new

Big lights will inspire you (Okay)

Let's hear it for New York (Uh)

New York (Yeah), New York (Uh)

## References

1. ↑ George, Cassidy (November 29, 2019). "How "Empire State of Mind" Became New York's Greatest Anthem". *GQ*.
2. ↑ Strauss, Matthew (April 17, 2023). "Jay-Z Shares New Version of "Empire of State of Mind" featuring Gil Scott-Heron: Listen". *Pitchfork*.
3. ↑ Concepcion, Mariel (December 11, 2009). "'Empire State of Mind' Co-writer in Disbelief Over Song's Success". *Billboard*.
4. ↑ Lipshutz, Jason (April 25, 2017). "Alicia Keys on the 'Empire State of Mind' Chorus: 'It's About the Hope That New York Represents'". *Billboard*.
5. ↑ Kelly, Zach (November 3, 2009). ""Empire State of Mind" [ft. Alicia Keys]". *Pitchfork*.

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