(4 users)
Your Rating (Click a star below)
Total Rating
(2 users)
212,065
1,022,815
3D Track Thumb
Track Description
Available in:
"Empire State of Mind" is a song by American rapper Jay-Z, featuring vocals and a chorus from American singer Alicia Keys. It was released as the third single from Jay-Z's 11th studio album, The Blueprint 3 (2009), by his Roc Nation label in October 2009. The song is an anthemic ode to both artists' native New York, and features a music sample of "Love on a Two-Way Street" (1970), written by Sylvia Robinson and Bert Keyes and performed by The Moments. "Empire State of Mind" was originally written by Brooklyn natives Angela Hunte and Jane't "Jnay" Sewell-Ulepic who were feeling homesick while on an overseas trip in February 2009. The following month they sent the song in for consideration at Roc Nation, although it received negative reviews. Initially discouraged, the duo sent the song to Jay-Z after a suggestion by an associate of EMI Music Publishing (EMI), and after an incident which they described as an omen.
After hearing the song, Jay-Z immediately recorded it, changing all of the verses but keeping the hook. The single was supposed to feature Hunte on the song's hook, but when Hunte and Sewell-Ulepic were asked if they thought someone else would be more appropriate for the chorus, Hunte suggested Keys. Mary J. Blige was also considered for the part, but Keys was chosen after Jay-Z heard the song's piano loop. The song was viewed as being an "orchestral rap ballad" and has pop-rap musical styles. It contains references to drugs, locations in New York and its famous residents, and describes the city's essence. Profanity is also present throughout the song and, although it is usually included during live performances, it was omitted during the performance at Game 2 of the 2009 World Series.
It was included in multiple critics' top 10 list for the best songs of 2009; including Rolling Stone magazine and the New York Times. The song was also nominated for three Grammy Awards, winning Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. "Empire State of Mind" achieved commercial success worldwide. The track peaked within the top 10 in countries including; the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, Italy and Sweden. The single was commercially successful in the United States, peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks, becoming Jay-Z's first number-one single on the chart as a lead artist. It appeared in 2009 year-end charts in Italy, Australia and the US. The song is also the last number one hit of the 2000s.
In the song's music video, which is primarily in black-and-white, Jay-Z and Keys are shown performing the song in various locations in New York. "Empire State of Mind" has been performed by Jay-Z and Keys multiple times, including during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards and the 2009 American Music Awards. Usually when the duo performs the song, an overhead screen shows images of places in New York. Keys has recorded a sequel entitled "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down", which is featured on her fourth studio album The Element of Freedom (2009). Her version was positively received by critics and did well commercially, but was not as successful as its predecessor, but it was Top 10 in three countries in the UK, the Netherlands and Ireland. She said that she chose to record her own version of "Empire State of Mind" because she wanted to express her own personal feelings about New York.
The single has sold 5 million copies to date.
File Hashes
None Found...
Available in:
"Empire State of Mind" is a song by American rapper Jay-Z, featuring vocals and a chorus from American singer Alicia Keys. It was released as the third single from Jay-Z's 11th studio album, The Blueprint 3 (2009), by his Roc Nation label in October 2009. The song is an anthemic ode to both artists' native New York, and features a music sample of "Love on a Two-Way Street" (1970), written by Sylvia Robinson and Bert Keyes and performed by The Moments. "Empire State of Mind" was originally written by Brooklyn natives Angela Hunte and Jane't "Jnay" Sewell-Ulepic who were feeling homesick while on an overseas trip in February 2009. The following month they sent the song in for consideration at Roc Nation, although it received negative reviews. Initially discouraged, the duo sent the song to Jay-Z after a suggestion by an associate of EMI Music Publishing (EMI), and after an incident which they described as an omen.
After hearing the song, Jay-Z immediately recorded it, changing all of the verses but keeping the hook. The single was supposed to feature Hunte on the song's hook, but when Hunte and Sewell-Ulepic were asked if they thought someone else would be more appropriate for the chorus, Hunte suggested Keys. Mary J. Blige was also considered for the part, but Keys was chosen after Jay-Z heard the song's piano loop. The song was viewed as being an "orchestral rap ballad" and has pop-rap musical styles. It contains references to drugs, locations in New York and its famous residents, and describes the city's essence. Profanity is also present throughout the song and, although it is usually included during live performances, it was omitted during the performance at Game 2 of the 2009 World Series.
It was included in multiple critics' top 10 list for the best songs of 2009; including Rolling Stone magazine and the New York Times. The song was also nominated for three Grammy Awards, winning Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. "Empire State of Mind" achieved commercial success worldwide. The track peaked within the top 10 in countries including; the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, Italy and Sweden. The single was commercially successful in the United States, peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks, becoming Jay-Z's first number-one single on the chart as a lead artist. It appeared in 2009 year-end charts in Italy, Australia and the US. The song is also the last number one hit of the 2000s.
In the song's music video, which is primarily in black-and-white, Jay-Z and Keys are shown performing the song in various locations in New York. "Empire State of Mind" has been performed by Jay-Z and Keys multiple times, including during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards and the 2009 American Music Awards. Usually when the duo performs the song, an overhead screen shows images of places in New York. Keys has recorded a sequel entitled "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down", which is featured on her fourth studio album The Element of Freedom (2009). Her version was positively received by critics and did well commercially, but was not as successful as its predecessor, but it was Top 10 in three countries in the UK, the Netherlands and Ireland. She said that she chose to record her own version of "Empire State of Mind" because she wanted to express her own personal feelings about New York.
The single has sold 5 million copies to date.
File Hashes
None Found...
Hip-Hop 
Angry 
Urban/R&B 
297,602 
0 (0%)
None 
Status
UnlockedData Complete
80%External Links
