Empire State of Mind

"Empire State of Mind"
An image of a white building shown at a slanted angle with three red lines coming across the image of the building. The words "Jay-Z", "Alicia Keys" and "Empire State of Mind" written in capital letters overlapping a black background can also be seen.
Single by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys
from the album The Blueprint 3
Released October 20, 2009 (single)
Format Digital download
Recorded 2009; Roc The Mic Studios, Oven Studios
(New York City, New York)[1]
Genre Hip hop, R&B
Length 4:37
Label Roc Nation, Atlantic
Writer(s) Janet Sewell, Angela Hunte, Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Sylvia Robinson, Burt Keyes, Alicia Keys, Alexander Shuckburgh
Producer Alexander Shuckburgh
Certification 3× Platinum (RIAA)
Jay-Z singles chronology
"Run This Town"
(2009)		 "Empire State of Mind"
(2009)		 "On to the Next One"
(2009)
Alicia Keys singles chronology
"Another Way to Die"
(2008)		 "Empire State of Mind"
(2009)		 "Doesn't Mean Anything"
(2009)

"Empire State of Mind" is a song by American rapper and hip hop artist Jay-Z, featuring vocals from R&B and soul singer Alicia Keys. It was released as the third single from Jay-Z's 11th studio album The Blueprint 3 (2009), from 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) by The Moments. The track was originally written after Brooklyn natives Angela Hunte and Jane't "Jnay" Sewell-Ulepic were feeling homesick while on an overseas trip in February 2009. The following month they sent the song in for consideration at Roc Nation, but the song received negative reviews. Initially discouraged, the duo sent the song to Jay-Z after being suggested to by an associate of EMI, and after an incident which they described as an omen.

After hearing the song, Jay-Z immediately recorded it, having changed all of the verses, but keeping the hook. The track 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 Keys' 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 as well as 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 Jay-Z and Keys' performance at Game 2 of the 2009 World Series.

"Empire State of Mind" has been praised by many contemporary music critics. Keys' vocal performance in the track as well as the song's lyrics have been commended by critics. It was included in multiple critics top 10 list for the best songs of 2009, including Rolling Stone magazine's and the New York Times'. "Empire State of Mind" achieved commercial success worldwide. The track peaked within the top 10 in multiple countries, including 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. The song appeared in 2009 year-end charts in the U.S. and Australia.

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 to "Empire State of Mind" entitled "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down", which is featured on her fourth studio album The Element of Freedom (2009). Keys' version was well received by critics and was commercially successful, although it was not as successful as its predecessor. Keys 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.

Contents

Background and writing

A image of a busy intersection. People walking on nearby sidewalks and taxi cabs driving in the street can be seen, as well as tall buildings with advertisements on it reflecting bright lights. A dark sky can be seen in the background.
Hunte and Sewell-Ulepic were inspired to write "Empire State of Mind" based on their everyday life in New York.

"Empire State of Mind" was originally created by singer-songwriter-producer Angela Hunte, a Brooklyn native, along with writing partner Jane't "Jnay" Sewell-Ulepic. Hunte grew up in the same building where rapper and hip hop artist Jay-Z lived—560 State Street, an address which is mentioned in the song, but they had never collaborated on a song before.[2] The track's creation was inspired during an overseas trip Hunte and Sewell-Ulepic made to London in February 2009, both feeling homesick.[2] Hunte was sick during that summer while Sewell-Ulepic's mother was ill. Hunte recalls, "We said to ourselves, we complain so much about New York—about the busy streets, about the crowds and the pushing, about the subway system—but I would trade that for anything right now. Before we left the hotel that night, we knew we would write a song about our city."[2] Although they wrote the song as a simple way to voice their feelings for their hometown, they secretly sent it to the Roc Nation music label the following month in hopes that Jay-Z would like it and record it. When they received negative reviews about the track, they were convinced it would never be recorded.[2] However, in the summer of the same year, EMI's Jon "Big Jon" Platt heard the track at a barbecue and fell in love with it, believing that "it would be perfect for Jay-Z".[2]

Hunte and Sewell-Ulepic were hesitant, though, being that they had sent the track for consideration already and were unsuccessful. According to Hunte, when a Notorious B.I.G. figure she kept by the computer fell as they played the track for Platt—a statue that had never moved before regardless of how loud they've blasted music—she realized it was an omen.[2] She commented, "We all just looked at each other like, if Biggie approves, then, send it to Jay". The next day, Platt sent it to Jay-Z and he "loved it and recorded it that night [for his 11th studio album The Blueprint 3]".[2] Hunte recalls, "We were just so happy he wanted to honor our work and our production. Two female producers [and] writers, and for him as a rapper to take our song, that's not a combination you see a lot. For him to be so open-minded about it, we just couldn't be any more grateful and thankful."[2] Jay-Z ended up writing all new verses inspired from the original lyrics and leaving Hunte on the song's hook. However, when Hunte and Sewell-Ulepic were asked if they thought someone else would be more appropriate for the chorus, Hunte suggested R&B and soul artist Alicia Keys.[2] Hunte said, "She's never done a record with him and she also has my same vocal tone. She made the song sound so close to the original. She just nailed it and brought it home. It was a great choice."[2]

"Obviously, I'm very grateful to him [Jay-Z] for reaching out to me and for that type of ability to represent my hometown, like, that was crazy. So we went to the studio. I went to the studio, and [...] I fell in love [with the song] from the jump."

—Alicia Keys, MTV News[3]

Jay-Z stated in an interview that after he first heard the track's piano loops, he immediately thought of Keys and wanted her to be featured on the song. Keys recalls, "There was a first phone call, and Jay hit me up like, 'I feel like I have this record that's going to be the anthem of New York.'"[3] Jay-Z said that Mary J. Blige was initially considered for Keys' part on "Empire State Of Mind".[4] He admitted that he was "two seconds away" from asking Blige to appear on the record's chorus, but said that the second choice for the track's vocals was Keys and that using Blige on the song would have been a safe move but said that the combination of Keys' sound and piano talent had struck a chord with him.[4] In December 2009, Hunte, who would not reveal many details, said the original version of "Empire State of Mind" will one day be released, adding that, "The original is so powerful it's only a matter of time till you hear it down the line".[2]

Composition

"Empire State of Mind" features rap verses from Jay-Z and vocals from Keys during the song's chorus, who is credited as a featured artist. It is an anthemic rap hip hop song with influences of electropop and orchestral pop. The track also has pop-rap musical styles.[5] The song contains a music sample of the 1970 single "Love on a Two-Way Street" by the band The Moments,[6] the sample being the piano component that runs throughout the song. Throughout the song, Keys' vocal range changes from the register of A♯3 to C♯5.[5] The track is played in the key of F♯ Major.[5] According to the sheet music published on Musicnotes.com by EMI Music Publishing, "Empire State of Mind" is written in the time signature of common time.[5] The song verse has a sequence of F♯–C♯/B–B–F♯ as its chord progression, and moves at a moderate tempo of 84 beats per minute.[5] Pete Cashmore of NME described Keys as having established "crashing piano chords" during her verses in the track.[7] Mariel Concepcion of Billboard magazine noted that the track has a "simple piano pattern".[8] Stephen Dalton of The Times described the song as an "orchestral rap ballad".[9]

Lyrically, "Empire State of Mind" was viewed as taking listeners for a "ride in the back of the Maybach", detailing Jay-Z's rise from the Marcy Projects to his career success.[10] The song, which opens with lyrics referencing locations in New York,[5] name-checks notable neighborhoods and captures the city's essence, from attending Knicks basket ball games to its famous residents.[11] In "Empire State of Mind", Jay-Z proclaims himself to be the "new Sinatra"[12][13] and states "since I made it here I can make it anywhere".[14] He also claims to be able to make "the Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can" and adds, "You know I bleed blue/But I'm not a crip, though".[10] Drug dealing references, "N-words" and profanity are also present throughout the song.[15][16] Raju Mudhar of The Star commented on the tracks lyrics "I'm the new Sinatra/And since I made it here/I can make it anywhere/Yeah they love me everywhere" remarking "who can argue?" noting that he's "one of those waffling retirees", but is a living "hip hop legend".[17] Allsion Stewart of The Washington Post described "Empire State of Mind"'s lyrical content as consisting of "Hova's sports team shout-outs and PG-13 ruminations".[18] Jayson Rodriguez of MTV News felt that Keys "croons" on the track's chorus line, "I'm from Neeeeww Yooooork/These streets will make you feel brand-new/Bright lights will inspire you."[10] Keys said that while recording the song she wanted to make sure she got the hook right explaining, "I did try it a couple of times, but it was more about capturing the kind of grand feeling of it. 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. So it actually took a couple of times, but every time, the energy was just so high."[19] Simon Vozick-Levinson of Entertainment Weekly felt that the singer who sings the songs hook has a "crucial role", believing that "Empire State of Mind" is a "smash that concert attendees expect Jay to play, and it just wouldn’t work without a big, clear voice to sing that hook".[20]

Critical reception

The photo shows an African American female with medium brown hair with her head tilted to her right with her mouth open. She is wearing a red sleeveless shirt with dark wash colored jeans and is holding a microphone with her right hand.
Music critics commended Alicia Keys for her chorus line.

"Empire State of Mind" received generally positive reception from contemporary music critics, with most reviewers praising Keys' vocal performance. Jon Bush of Allmusic listed the song as being a highlight from The Blueprint 3. He commented that Jay-Z "crossovers" in track as a "New York flag-waver with plenty of landmark name-dropping that turns into a great anthem with help on the chorus from Alicia Keys".[21] Los Angeles Times writer Greg Kot commended Jay-Z for his ability to perform with cameos, and called the song "Empire State of Mind" "the sound of Jay-Z cruising for pop hits".[22] Pete Cashmore of NME described Alicia Keys's cameo as "lusty bellowing".[7] Pitchfork Media's Ian Cohen stated that "the piledriver hooks" of "Run This Town" and "Empire State of Mind" are "content to annoy their way to ubiquity".[23] Martin Andrew of PopMatters called the song "yet another chance" for Jay-Z to show his respect to New York, but commented that it "remains interesting thanks to a fantastic Al Shux beat and celebratory hook from Alicia Keys". He added that "above all" the song is a "chance for the Marcy emcee to show off shades of a new flow while not losing you for a second".[24] Rolling Stone magazine's Jody Rosen called it a "pallid New York shout-out".[25]

USA Today's Steve Jones perceived a maturity by Jay-Z in the song, and wrote that, "The upper-crust landmarks he now references are a far cry from the grimy Marcy Projects sights that he once detailed, something that perhaps is to be expected from the self-described 'new Sinatra'."[12] The Daily Telegraph described the song's sound as "anthemic club pop" and called Keys's chorus line a "singalong".[26] Shannon Barbour of About.com called "Empire State of Mind" the album's apex, while commending Keys for her "excellent display of some unusually strong vocals".[27] Slant Magazine writer William McBee described it as a "glittering paean to the Big Apple" with Keys "soaring skyscraper-level on the hook and Jay putting on for his city".[28] Marshall Ziglar of the Smoking Section called the song an "antithesis" to Nas’ N.Y. State of Mind", adding that Jay-Z "presents the city that never sleeps as the ultimate proving ground for those who can escape its trappings".[29] IGN music reviewer Chris Carle described Keys as having "soaring vocals" in the song.[30] New York Post writer Ryan Brockington called "Empire State of Mind" his "favorite" song from The Blueprint 3[31] and Tyler Gray from the same publication said "Empire State of Mind" was the "most soulful" song on the album.[32]

Francois Marchand of the Vancouver Sun called the song "shiver-inducing".[33] The Times writer Stephen Dalton called the track a "heartfelt love letter to New York City", with Jay-Z playing the "hip-hop Sinatra" over Keys' "luscious" chorus,[9] and The Guardian's Alexis Petridis described its chorus as "incredible, breezy pop".[34] Killan Fox of the same publication felt that the track was a "terrific homage" to New York and listed the song as being one of the "really good tracks" on The Blueprint 3.[35] "Empire State of Mind" has been included in multiple music critics list for the best songs of 2009. The track was ranked the 8th best song of 2009 by MTV,[36] the second-best song of 2009 by Rolling Stone magazine,[37] and was voted the best single of 2009 by The Village Voice's 37th annual Pazz & Jop critics' poll.[38] Jon Pareles of The New York Times placed "Empire State of Mind" at number three on his list of the top songs of 2009,[39] and Pitchfork Media also ranked it at number 44 on its The Top 100 Tracks of 2009 list.[40] Jay-Z, a long-time fan of the New York Yankees, said that he was elated that his songs, namely "Empire State of Mind" and "Run This Town", had been played during different Yankee player's batting at home games in the 2009 World Series.[41] He commented that it was "incredible" and "beyond explanation" to hear his music being played during Yankee games.[41] New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg commented that "Empire State of Mind" had become "one of the newest anthems of the Yankees".[42]

Chart performance

A image of an African American male wearing sunglasses with black pants and a white shirt and jacket. He is speaking into a microphone while holding it with his right hand. In the mostly dark background, a red colored wall with a design can be seen.
"Empire State of Mind" gave Jay-Z his first number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 as a lead artist.

"Empire State of Mind" achieved commercial success worldwide. In the United States, the track peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks[43] from November 28 to December 26, replacing "Fireflies" by Owl City for the top position and giving Jay-Z his first number one single on that chart as a lead artist in his fourteen year career.[44] The song, which was both artists' fourth number one entry on the chart,[44] became the first Billboard Hot 100 number one single to reference New York in its title.[6] It was also included in Billboard's year-end music charts for 2009 at number sixty two[45] and it was the last number one single for the 2000s. The single sold 205,000 digital copies in the United State in its opening week and its highest week sale was of 360,000 in December 2009.[46] After thirty six weeks it has sold over three million five hundred thousand legal digital downloads in the United State.[46] The song also peaked at number one on the Billboard component chart for the sales of legal digital downloads on October 3, 2009,[47] as well as topping the Billboard component chart for singles with the most radio airplay throughout the country for eight consecutive weeks from November 28 to January 23, 2010.[48] The track also peaked at the top position on the R&B/Hip Hop songs chart for three consecutive weeks,[49] as well as topping the Billboard Rap Songs chart for nine consecutive weeks.[50] After five months of release, "Empire State of Mind" was certified three times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for the shipment of over three million units in the United States.[51]

In the United Kingdom, the track debuted at number fifteen, and in the two succeeding weeks the single peaked at number two,[52] having been held from the top position by Taio Cruz's "Break Your Heart" (2009).[53] "Empire State of Mind" peaked at number three on the Canadian Hot 100, and was listed as being the top digital gainer on December 12.[54] The song peaked at number four in Australia,[55] and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for the shipment of 35,000 units in the country.[56] "Empire State of Mind" was also included in Australia's 2009 year end music chart at number sixty four.[57] In New Zealand, the song peaked at number six.[55] The track was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ), for the shipment of over 7,500 units in New Zealand.[58] The single debuted at number eighteen in France, and eventually peaked at number eight in the following three weeks.[55] It also peaked at number four in Belgium's Flemish and French charts.[55] In Portugal, the song debuted at number 48 and eventually rose to number one. To date, it has been at number one for 18 consecutive weeks.[59] The song also respectively peaked within the top 10 positions in the music charts of Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Finland, the Netherlands, and Sweden.[55] "Empire State of Mind"'s least commercially successful charting territories were Austria, Brazil and Spain, peaking at number thirteen, seventeen and twenty seven, respectively.[55][60]

Music video

A aerial view of skyscrapers at night. Most of the buildings are lit up with lights coming from the inside of them. In the background, a dark sky with no clouds can be seen.
Aerial views of skyscrapers in New York at night are shown throughout the video

The music video for "Empire State of Mind" was directed by Hype Williams.[61] The video, which was filmed on location, features black-and-white images of New York City intercut with full-color shots of Jay-Z and Keys performing in Times Square.[61] "Empire State of Mind"'s music video was filmed from September 29 to October, in Tribeca and around Ground Zero,[61] and was released on October 30, 2009. Keys praised the music video and said that the video has all the key elements of a homage to her hometown.[61] She commented on the video for "Empire State of Mind" saying,

"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. [...] You have to have the skyline—it's not New York without the skyline. You have to have the Empire State Building—it's not New York without the Empire State Building. You have to also have variety. That's what New York is about. There's diversity here and so you see that. It's really beautiful."[61]

The music video opens with black and white images of locations in New York being shown in the forum of a slideshow. The slideshow is then intercut with a black and white clip of Jay-Z, who is wearing a Yankees cap and a vest with no sleeves, performing the song on a street in front of apartment buildings. The video then begins to rotate from images of New York being shown briefly, to clips of Jay-Z singing "Empire State of Mind" in several locations with different outfits. Images shown include a monument to John D. Rockefeller, Jr., street signs and stairwells to train stations. The video then shows black and white clips of Keys, who is wearing large hoop earrings with high heels, a black shirt and pants, playing a Yamaha piano that has an image of the Statue of Liberty on it. She is singing her verse of the song in a street while cars drive by at night. Keys' performance is then intercut with aerial views of skyscrapers and clips of the Yankee Stadium, clips of the New York Police, and NYPD cars and logos. Some people, such as ones who are walking around New York or wearing Yankee emblems, have their faces shown or blurred out. Keys and Jay-Z, both wearing sunglasses at night, are then shown performing the song together as the video continues to be intercut with clips of them performing "Empire State of Mind" individually, as well as images of New York. The video ends with clips shown in color of the duo waving their hands in the air while singing the final verses of the track on red colored stairs and colored clips of Keys performing, and images of New York.

Live performances

"Empire State of Mind" was first performed at Jay-Z's "Answer the Call" benefit concert in Madison Square Garden on September 11, 2009,[62] where it was the opening song.[63] All ticket proceeds from the show went to the New York Police and Fire Widows’, and Children’s Fund.[63] The song was then performed live at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards (MTV VMA) on September 13, 2009, where it closed the awards show.[64] The VMA performance was the first time Jay-Z and Keys performed the song together.[62] Shaheem Redi of MTV News commented on the performance that, "Their set was elegant and 'hood at the same time, and it was such a powerful moment",[65] and Ryan Brockington of the New York Post wrote "Alicia's buttery voice and Jay-Z's impeccable stage presence made for an audio adrenaline overload", and placed the performance third on his list of the "top six performances" from the MTV VMAs.[31] For the performance, Jay-Z wore his signature Yankees cap[62] and Keys wore all black while playing the piano. During the MTV VMA performance, images of locations in New York, such as the Empire State Building and the Apollo Theatre, were shown on an overhead screen behind Jay-Z and Keys. Towards the end of the performance, rapper Lil' Mama came up from her seat in the crowd onto the stage and posed with Jay-Z and Keys while they were finishing the final verse of the track.[66] Lil' Mama said she did not mean to disrespect either performer but the song had her "emotions running high", adding that "in that moment I came up onstage to celebrate my two icons singing about NY."[64] Keys responded to the incident saying "We can appreciate her being overwhelmed and inspired, but we would have appreciated it if she would have did it from her seat", and Jay-Z added, "It was a lot of planning that went into that performance. To disrupt that was outta line."[67] Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly said that the duo "brought some genuine street heat to the tongue-twisting torrents" of "Empire State of Mind".[68] She added that "Keys, on piano and soaring chorus, brought the feminine strength and soul."[68]

Jay-Z also performed the song on September 18, 2009, during a live performance on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, due to scheduling conflicts, Roc Nation singer Bridget Kelly performed in Keys' place.[69] Jay-Z was slated to perform "Empire State of Mind" with Keys during the opening game of the baseball 2009 World Series in early October 2009, but due to inclement weather, the duo did not perform.[70] They ultimately performed the song live in the Yankee Stadium before Game 2 of the 2009 World Series in mid October.[67][71] During the performance, the two musicians performed the song on a custom-made stage that was adorned with Yankees flags,[71] while images of New York City flashed across several large screens throughout the stadium.[67] Jayson Rodriguez of MTV News wrote of the performance, "If the Yankees were looking to change their tune heading into Game 2 of the World Series, they couldn't have picked better musical guests."[67] During most live performances of the track, lyrics containing profanity are included in the song, but, they were omitted for the World Series set.[15][16] On November 5, 2009, Jay-Z and Kelly sung "Empire State of Mind" at the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA) in Berlin, Germany, while performing in front of a New York cityscape.[72] Jocelyn Vena and Eric Ditzian of MTV News noted that Jay-Z "took his hometown pride rather seriously" during the performance.[72] Jay-Z also performed the song with Kelly at the Yankees' World Series victory ceremonies in New York City Hall on November 6, 2009.[42] As Kelly sang the last verse of the song Yankee members got up from their seats to shower Jay-Z with handshakes and hugs.[42]

The song was also performed by Jay-Z and Keys at the American Music Awards (AMA) on November 22, 2009.[73] For the performance, Jay-Z wore a white suit and Keys wore an all-black outfit that revealed most of her back. The duo opened their performance of "Empire State of Mind" with a rendition of Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York".[73] During the performance at the AMAs, Keys played on a white piano and the two musicians performed the song on a stage lit by blue lights, and in front of a backdrop that showed tall buildings and the words "New York" scrolled across screens on the stage, while a battery of men and women dressed in elegant finery played grand pianos.[74] Towards the ending of the song, Keys joined Jay-Z at the front of the stage and sung the song's last notes and held up a "I love you" sign, while Jay-Z stood with both arms outstretched.[74] Todd Martens of the Los Angeles Times felt that the song had "worn out its welcome", and gave the performance a letter grade "D".[75] However, Jeremy Blacklow of Access Hollywood had a more positive feeling towards the performance, describing it as being "so great" in his live blog for the award ceremony.[76] On November 29, Keys performed the song's chorus in a medley alongside "Doesn't Mean Anything" and "No One", on the sixth season of the United Kingdom television show, The X Factor.[77] In March, Jay-Z joined Keys onstage during one of her Freedom Tours New York concerts to perform "Empire State of Mind", while images of New York were shown throughout the concert arena.[72] Jay-Z performed "Empire State of Mind" as well as three of his other singles, at California's Coachella music festival in April 2010.[78] Jay-Z and Kelly performed the song live on an episode of Saturday Night Live on May 9, 2010. Jay-Z performed the song with a medley of his other singles, including "On to the Next One".[79][80] Kelly wore a black micro mini dress[14] and Jay-Z wore a white t-shirt with a black leather vest while performing the song on a stage light by blue lights, with musicians playing instruments in the far back. Caitlyn Millat of San Diego's NBC felt that Jay-Z "brought the house down" during his performances of the melodies.[79] Rodriguez of MTV News said that Kelly "turned more than a few heads" because the outfit she was wearing was "tighter than her boss' rhyme".[14]

Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down

Following the release of "Empire State of Mind" in January 2010, Keys stated that she was planning to release a second version of the song featuring only her vocals, as a single the following month.[81] The track, entitled "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down", appeared on Keys' fourth studio album The Element of Freedom, which was released in December 2009. The original version of Keys' version, entitled "Empire State of Mind Part 2", included both Keys' vocals and a new rap verse from Jay-Z,[82] but the final product did not include Jay-Z.[83] Discussing the record, Keys claimed that it acts as a dichotomy of strength and vulnerability, commenting that "The music is really strong, and the drums are really aggressive, but my voice is vulnerable and delicate".[81]

I definitely wanted to give my version of it and my vision of how I see New York and how it feels to me. I wanted to do it for my style—more broken down, more on piano, more voice and intimacy—so that's what I did. I imagined, 'If I was able to sing this whole song, how would I do it?' So I just sat down at my piano and I kind of broke it down and started singing about New York as I see it, and it turned out great.
—Keys on recording "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down"[84]

"Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down" was generally well received by contemporary music critics in their reviews for The Element of Freedom.[85][86][87] Allsion Stewart of The Washington Post noted that the track, which is a pop ballad, had replaced "Empire State of Mind" sports team references and ruminations with "even milder and less controversial string of generalities", highlighting Keys' version's lyrics "If I could make it here/I could make it anywhere".[18] The track was not as commercially successful as "Empire State of Mind", peaking at number four in the United Kingdom,[88] number forty on the Canadian Hot 100,[89] and number sixty-nine in Sweden.[90]

Track listings and formats

  • International CD-Maxi[55]
  1. "Empire State Of Mind" (Explicit Version) – 4:36
  2. "Jay-Z – Jockin' Jay-Z" (Explicit Version) – 4:32
  3. "Jay-Z + Rihanna + Kanye West – Run This Town" (Live From Madison Square Garden — Explicit) – 6:24
  • Germany CD Single[91]
  1. "Jay-Z + Alicia Keys Empire State Of Mind" (Explicit Version) – 4:36
  2. "Jay-Z  – Jockin' Jay-Z" (Explicit Version) – 3:41
  1. A1 "Empire State Of Mind (Original)" (Explicit)
  2. A2 "Empire State Of Mind" (Instrumental)
  3. B1 "Empire State Of Mind" (Remix featuring Nas, Rakim & Busta Rhymes)
  4. B2 "Empire State Of Mind" (Remix featuring Snoop Dogg)
  1. A "Empire State Of Mind" (Explicit Album Version) – 4:36
  2. B "Empire State Of Mind (Amended Album Version) – 4:36

Credits and personnel

Charts, certifications and procession

Charts

Chart (2009) Peak
Position
Australian Singles Chart[55] 4
Austrian Singles Chart[55] 13
Belgium Singles Chart (Flanders)[55] 4
Belgium Singles Chart (Wallonia)[55] 4
Brazil Hot 100 Airplay[60] 17
Canadian Hot 100[54] 3
Danish Singles Chart[55] 2
Dutch Top 40[55] 2
Finnish Singles Chart[55] 9
French Digital Singles Chart[94] 3
French Singles Chart[55] 8
German Singles Chart[55] 11
Italian Singles Chart[55] 3
Irish Singles Chart[95] 2
New Zealand Singles Chart[55] 6
Norwegian Singles Chart[55] 5
Portuguese Singles Chart 1
Spanish Singles Chart[55] 27
Swedish Singles Chart[55] 6
Swiss Singles Chart[55] 4
UK Singles Chart[52] 2
UK R&B Singles Chart[96] 2
Scottish Singles Charts[97] 4
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[98] 1
U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[98] 1
U.S. Rap Songs[98] 1

Certifications

Country Certification
(sales thresholds)
Australia Platinum[56]
New Zealand Platinum[58]
United States 3× Platinum[51]

Year-end charts

Charts (2009) Position
Australian Singles Chart[57] 64
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[45] 62

Chart precession and succession

Preceded by
"Pretty Wings" by Maxwell		 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number-one single
November 21 – December 5, 2009		 Succeeded by
"Papers" by Usher
Preceded by
"Forever" by Drake with Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Eminem		 Billboard Rap Songs number-one single
November 21, 2009 – January 12, 2010		 Succeeded by
"BedRock" by Young Money
Preceded by
"Fireflies" by Owl City		 Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
November 22 – December 26, 2009		 Succeeded by
"Tik Tok" by Kesha

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Blueprint 3 liner notes, Atlantic Records (2009).
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 Concepcion, Mariel (11 December 2009). "'Empire State of Mind' Co-writer In Disbelief Over Song's Success". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc). http://www.billboard.com/#/news/empire-state-of-mind-co-writer-in-disbelief-1004053103.story. Retrieved 2010-05-25. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Vena, Jocelyn (29 October 2009). "Alicia Keys 'Grateful' To Jay-Z For 'Empire State Of Mind'". MTV. Viacom. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1625114/20091029/jay_z.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-05-19. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Minaya, Marcell (2010-02-20). "Jay-Z: 'Keys was second choice on Empire'". Digital Spy. Digital Spy Limited. http://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/a204310/jay-z-keys-was-second-choice-on-empire.html. Retrieved 2010-05-03. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 "Empire State of Mind — Jay-Z Digital Sheet Music (Digital Download)". MusicNotes.com. EMI Music Publishing. http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0078121. Retrieved 2010-04-30. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Trust, Gary (2009-11-19). "Chart Beat Thursday: Bon Jovi, Jay-Z, Bad Lieutenant". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. http://www.billboard.com/column-chartbeat/chart-beat-thursday-bon-jovi-jay-z-bad-lieutenant-1004044507.story#/column-chartbeat/chart-beat-thursday-bon-jovi-jay-z-bad-lieutenant-1004044507.story. Retrieved 2010-05-03. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Cashmore, Pete (2009-09-18). "Album review: Jay-Z - 'The Blueprint III'". NME. IPC MEDIA. http://www.nme.com/reviews/jay-z/10806. Retrieved 2010-04-30. 
  8. ↑ Concepcion, Mariel (2009-09-11). "Jay-Z, "Blueprint 3"". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. http://www.billboard.com/new-releases/jay-z-blueprint-3-1004011559.story#/new-releases/jay-z-blueprint-3-1004011559.story. Retrieved 210-05-01. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Dalton, Stephen (2009-09-11). "Jay-Z: The Blueprint 3". The Times. Times Newspapers Ltd.. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/cd_reviews/article6829430.ece. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Jayson Rodriguez, Shaheem Reid (2009-09-01). "Jay-Z 'Excited' For Fans To Hear Blueprint 3 On 'The Leak'". MTV. Viacom. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1620486/20090831/jay_z.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-05-02. 
  11. ↑ Rodriguez, Jayson (2009-09-11). "Mary J. Blige Looking Forward To 'Huge' Jay-Z And Alicia Keys VMA Performance". MTV. Viacom. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621311/20090911/blige_mary_j.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-05-02. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Jones, Steve (2009-09-02). "Jay-Z's 'Blueprint 3' proves to be a different kind of original". USA Today. Gannett Co. Inc. http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/reviews/2009-09-01-jay-z-blueprint-3_N.htm. Retrieved 2010-04-30. 
  13. ↑ Gamboa, Glenn (2009-09-07). "Jay-Z's 'Blueprint 3' shows 'em how it's done". Newsday. Terry Jimenez. http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/cd-review-jay-z-s-blueprint-3-shows-em-how-it-s-done-1.1423207. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Rodriguez, Jayson (2010-05-09). "Jay-Z Dedicates 'Young Forever' To Betty White On 'SNL'". MTV. Viacom. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1638743/20100509/jay_z.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-05-09. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Dan Gross: Jay-Z to tone down his act". The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia Newspapers, LLC). 2009-10-29. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Song Lyrics Cleaned Up For World Series". Morning Edition. 2009-10-28. 
  17. ↑ Mudhar, Raju (2009-10-29). "Concert Sampler". The Star. Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/article/717710--concert-sampler-by-raju-mudhar. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Stewart, Allison (2009-12-15). "'Element' is another safe, uninspiring album from R&B star Alicia Keys". The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/14/AR2009121403616.html. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  19. ↑ Vena, Jocelyn (2009-10-29). "Alicia Keys 'Grateful' To Jay-Z For 'Empire State Of Mind'". MTV. Viacom. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1625114/20091029/jay_z.jhtml?rsspartner=rssMozilla. Retrieved 2010-04-30. 
  20. ↑ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (2010-05-10). "Who was that singing with Jay-Z on 'Saturday Night Live'? Meet Bridget Kelly". Entertainment Weekly. Time Warner Inc. http://music-mix.ew.com/2010/05/10/jay-z-snl-bridget-kelly/. Retrieved 2010-05-11. 
  21. ↑ Bush, John. "The Blueprint 3". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3zfwxzwaldfe~T0. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  22. ↑ Kot, Greg (2009-09-09). "Review: Jay-Z's The Blueprint 3". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-jayz9-2009sep09,0,6180093.story. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  23. ↑ Cohen, Ian (2009-09-14). "Jay-Z The Blueprint 3". Pitchfork Media. Pitchfork Media Inc. http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13445-the-blueprint-3/. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  24. ↑ Andrew, Martin. "Review: The Blueprint 3". PopMatters. Sarah Zupko. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/111082-jay-z-the-blueprint-3/. Retrieved 2010-05-03. 
  25. ↑ Rosen, Jody. "Review: The Blueprint 3". Rolling Stone (Wenner Media LLC). 
  26. ↑ "Jay Z - The Blueprint 3, review". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. 2009-09-08. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/cdreviews/6157253/Jay-Z---The-Blueprint-3-review.html. Retrieved 2010-04-30. 
  27. ↑ Barbour, Shannon. "Jay-Z - 'Blueprint 3' (Roc Nation)". About.com. The New York Times Company. http://rap.about.com/od/reviews/fr/JayZBlueprint3Review.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  28. ↑ McBee, William (2009-09-07). "Jay-Z The Blueprint 3". Slant Magazine. http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=1841. Retrieved 2010-05-02. 
  29. ↑ Ziglar, Marshall (2009-09-11). "“On To The Next One” – Review Of Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 3". Smoking Section. http://smokingsection.uproxx.com/TSS/2009/09/review-of-jay-zs-the-blueprint-3. Retrieved 2010-05-02. 
  30. ↑ Carle, Chris (2009-09-15). "Jay-Z: The Blueprint 3 Review". IGN. IGN Entertainment, Inc. http://music.ign.com/articles/102/1025098p1.html. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Brockington, Ryan (2009-09-14). "Top six performances from the 2009 VMAs". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/popwrap/top_six_performances_from_the_vmas_btu76OUrSvc0lXTxf8zU5J. Retrieved 2010-05-03. 
  32. ↑ Gray, Tyler (2009-09-06). "Jay-Z's '3'-peat". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/music/jay_peat_E2GHPZRZkps4IXSvukCBEI. Retrieved 2010-05-03. 
  33. ↑ Marchand, Francois (2009-10-16). "Jay-Z's so big they call him 'Mister'". The Vancouver Sun. Canwest Publishing Inc. http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/they+call+Mister/2113150/story.html. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  34. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (2009-09-10). "Review: The Blueprint 3". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/sep/10/jay-z-blueprint-3. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  35. ↑ Fox, Killan (2009-09-13). "Jay-Z: The Blueprint 3". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/sep/13/jay-z-blueprint-3-review. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  36. ↑ Montgomery, James (2009-12-09). "The Best Songs Of 2009, In Bigger Than The Sound". MTV. Viacom. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1627865/20091208/jay_z.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
  37. ↑ "The 25 Best Songs of 2009". Rolling Stone (Wenner Media LLC). 
  38. ↑ "Singles — All Votes". The Village Voice. Village Voice Media. http://www.villagevoice.com/pazznjop/singles/2009/. Retrieved 2010-05-03. 
  39. ↑ Parales, Jon (2009-12-17). "Reggae and Rock Operas, Intimacies and Anthems". New York Times. The New York Times Company. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/20/arts/music/20pareles.html. Retrieved 2010-05-01. 
  40. ↑ Pitchfork Staff (2009-12-14). "The Top 100 Tracks of 2009". Pitchfork Media. Pitchfork Media Inc. http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7742-the-top-100-tracks-of-2009/6/. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
  41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 Reid, Shaheem (2009-10-30). "Jay-Z Says It's 'Incredible' Hearing His Music At Yankee Stadium". MTV. Viacom. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1625196/20091030/jay_z.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 Reid, Shaheem (2009-11-06). "Jay-Z Performs 'Empire State Of Mind' At Yankees Parade". MTV (Viacom). http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1625743/20091106/jay_z.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-11-07. 
  43. ↑ Pietroluongo, Silvio (2009-12-17). "Jay-Z, Keys' 'Empire' Tops Hot 100 For Fifth Week". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. http://www.billboard.com/#/news/jay-z-keys-empire-tops-hot-100-for-fifth-1004054241.story. Retrieved 2010-05-05. 
  44. ↑ 44.0 44.1 Pietroluongo, Silvio (2009-11-18). "Jay-Z Jumps To No. 1 On The Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. http://www.billboard.com/#/news/jay-z-jumps-to-no-1-on-the-hot-100-1004043615.story/. Retrieved 2010-05-05. 
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 "Charts Year End: The Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 2009-12-19. Archived from the original on August 22, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080822150806/http://www.billboard.com/#/charts-year-end/hot-100-songs?year=2009&begin=61&order=position. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 Grein, Paul (2010-05-19). "Week Ending May 16, 2010: Battle Of The Home-State Anthems". Yahoo! Music. Yahoo!. http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/53615/week-ending-may-16-2010-battle-of-the-home-state-anthems/;_ylt=Ao8BB_laDbJgRzs_9X2SCLAPwiUv. Retrieved 2010-05-20. 
  47. ↑ "Digital Songs: Week of October 3, 2009". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/digital-songs?chartDate=2009-10-03. Retrieved 2010-05-05. 
  48. ↑ "Radio Songs: Week of November 28, 2009". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/radio-songs?chartDate=2009-11-28. Retrieved 2010-05-05. 
  49. ↑ "R&B/Hip Hop Songs: Week of November 28, 2009". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/r-b-hip-hop-songs?chartDate=2009-12-01. Retrieved 2010-05-05. 
  50. ↑ "Rap Songs: Week of January 9, 2010". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/rap-songs?chartDate=2010-01-11. Retrieved 2010-05-05. 
  51. ↑ 51.0 51.1 "Jay — Z Certifications (Page 2)". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=2&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Jay-Z&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2010&sort=Artist&perPage=25. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 "Empire State Of Mind". The Official Charts Company. http://www.chartstats.com/songinfo.php?id=34544. Retrieved 2010-05-03. 
  53. ↑ "Chart For Week Up To 10/10/2009". The Official Charts Company. http://www.chartstats.com/chart.php?week=20091010. Retrieved 2010-05-05. 
  54. ↑ 54.0 54.1 "Week of December 12, 2009". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Archived from the original on August 22, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080822150806/http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/canadian-hot-100?chartDate=2009-12-12. Retrieved 2010-05-03. 
  55. ↑ 55.00 55.01 55.02 55.03 55.04 55.05 55.06 55.07 55.08 55.09 55.10 55.11 55.12 55.13 55.14 55.15 55.16 55.17 55.18 55.19 55.20 55.21 "JAY-Z + ALICIA KEYS – EMPIRE STATE OF MIND (CHANSON)". LesCharts.com. Hung Medien. http://www.lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Jay%2DZ+%2B+Alicia+Keys&titel=Empire+State+Of+Mind&cat=s. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  56. ↑ 56.0 56.1 "ARIA TOP 40 URBAN SIGLES CHART". Australian Recording Industry Association. 
  57. ↑ 57.0 57.1 "ARIA Charts — End Of Year Charts — Top 100 Singles 2009". Australian Recording Industry Association. http://aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-end-of-year-charts-top-100-singles-2009.htm. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  58. ↑ 58.0 58.1 "Latest Gold / Platinum Singles January 3, 2010". Radio Scope. http://www.radioscope.net.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=77&Itemid=61. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  59. ↑ http://acharts.us/song/49581
  60. ↑ 60.0 60.1 "Brazil Hot 100 Airplay" (in Portuguese). Billboard Brazil (Brazil: Nielsen Business Media, Inc) 79 (2). 2010-04-01. ISSN 977-217605400-2. 
  61. ↑ 61.0 61.1 61.2 61.3 61.4 Vena, Jocelyn (2009-11-02). "Jay-Z, Alicia Keys Shoot 'Empire State Of Mind' Video Near Ground Zero". MTV. Viacom. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1625300/20091102/keys_alicia.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-04-30. 
  62. ↑ 62.0 62.1 62.2 Rodriguez, Jayson (2009-09-14). "Jay-Z, Alicia Keys Close VMAs With Ode To New York". MTV. Viacom. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621415/20090914/keys_alicia.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
  63. ↑ 63.0 63.1 Vozick-Levinson, Simon (2009-09-29). "Jay-Z 'Answers the Call' in NYC with help from Rihanna, Beyonce, Kanye West, John Mayor and the rest of his Rolex". Entertainment Weekly. Time Warner Inc. http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/09/12/jay-z-answer-call-fuse/. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
  64. ↑ 64.0 64.1 "Exclusive: Lil Mama Apologizes For Crashing Jay-Z's VMA Performance". MTV. Viacom. 2009-09-14. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621469/20090914/keys_alicia.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
  65. ↑ Reid, Shaheem (2009-12-17). "Jay-Z Continues His Hip-Hop Reign As #2 Man Of The Year". MTV. Viacom. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1628488/20091217/jay_z.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
  66. ↑ Reid, Shaheem (2009-09-14). "Lil Mama Crashes Jay-Z And Alicia Keys' VMA Performance". MTV. Viacom. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621423/20090914/lil_mama__2_.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
  67. ↑ 67.0 67.1 67.2 67.3 Reid, Shaheem (2009-09-23). "Jay-Z Says Lil Mama's VMA Stage Invasion Was 'Outta Line'". MTV. Viacom. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1622177/20090923/jay_z.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
  68. ↑ 68.0 68.1 Greenblatt, Leah (2009-09-18). "Best of the VMAS". Entertainment Weekly. Time Warner Inc. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20306044,00.html. Retrieved 2010-05-08. 
  69. ↑ Friday Night with Jonathan Ross BBC September 19, 2009.
  70. ↑ Reid, Shaheem (2009-11-06). "Jay-Z Joins Alex Rodriguez At New York Yankees Victory Parade". MTV. Viacom. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1625697/20091106/jay_z.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
  71. ↑ 71.0 71.1 Ghiroli, Brittany (2009-10-29). "Jay-Z, Keys take center stage in Bronx: Duo performs 'Empire State of Mind' prior to Game 2". Major League Baseball. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091029&content_id=7573000&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
  72. ↑ 72.0 72.1 72.2 Jocelyn Vena, Eric Ditzian (2009-11-05). "Jay-Z Brings New York To Germany For MTV Europe Music Awards". MTV. Viacom. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1625623/20091105/jay_z.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
  73. ↑ 73.0 73.1 "2009 American Music Awards performances: Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Janet Jackson, Alicia Keys & more". New York Examiner (Clarity Digital Group LLC). 2009-11-22. 
  74. ↑ 74.0 74.1 Reid, Shaheem (2009-11-23). "Jay-Z, Alicia Keys Rock American Music Awards With 'Empire State Of Mind'". MTV. Viacom. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1626832/20091122/jay_z.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
  75. ↑ Martens, Todd (2009-11-22). "2009 American Music Awards: Grading the performances". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/11/2009-american-music-awards-grading-the-performances.html. Retrieved 2010-05-11. 
  76. ↑ Blacklow, Jeremy (2009-11-22). "Live Blogging The American Music Awards". Access Hollywood. NBC Universal, Inc. http://www.accesshollywood.com/live-blogging-the-american-music-awards_article_25855. Retrieved 2010-05-11. 
  77. ↑ The X Factor Season 6, Episode 26. November 29, 2009.
  78. ↑ Margaret Wappler, August Brown (2010-04-19). "A weekend pass well-earned". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. http://articles.latimes.com/2010/apr/19/entertainment/la-et-0419-coachella-wrap-20100419. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
  79. ↑ 79.0 79.1 Millat, Caitlyn (2010-05-09). "Betty White, Jay-Z Celebrate Golden Years on "SNL"". NBC. NBC Universal, Inc. http://www.nbcsandiego.com/entertainment/celebrity/NATL-Betty-White-Celebrates-Golden-Years-on-SNL-93223544.html. Retrieved 2010-05-09. 
  80. ↑ Moore, Michael Langston (2010-05-09). "Jay-Z rocks the SNL stage with Mr. Hudson, Bridget Kelly in tow (Video)". The Examiner (Clarity Digital Group LLC). 
  81. ↑ 81.0 81.1 Balls, David (2010-01-13). "Keys to release solo version of 'Empire'". Digital Spy. Digital Spy Limited. http://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/a196200/keys-to-release-solo-version-of-empire.html. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  82. ↑ Vena, Jocelyn (2009-11-05). "Jay-Z and Alicia Keys Record 'Empire State of Mind Part 2'". MTV. Viacom. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1625604/20091105/jay_z.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  83. ↑ Aswad, Jem; Vena, Jocelyn (2009-12-04). "Alicia Keys Collabos with Beyoncé, Drake Hit the Net". MTV. Viacom. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1627691/20091204/keys_alicia.jhtml. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  84. ↑ Graff, Gary (2010-02-01). "Interview: Alicia Keys, singer". The Scotsman. Johnston Press Digital Publishing. http://www.scotsman.com/scotsmanmagazine/Interview-Alicia-Keys-singer.6029837.jp. Retrieved 2010-04-28. 
  85. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "The Element of Freedom". Consumer Guide. Robert Christgau. http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Alicia+Keys. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  86. ↑ Radlift, Ben (2009-12-14). "ALICIA KEYS: “The Element of Freedom”". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/14/arts/music/14choi.html?_r=1. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  87. ↑ Ragogna, Mike (2009-12-14). "HuffPost Reviews: Alicia Keys, Robin Thicke, Avatar, and Pixies, Plus Conversations with Julian Lennon and Precious Composer Mario Grigorov, and more". The Huffington Post. HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ragogna/emhuffpost-reviewsem-alic_b_390623.html. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  88. ↑ "Empire State Of Mind (Part II)". The Official Charts Company. http://www.chartstats.com/songinfo.php?id=34698. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  89. ↑ "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down — Alicia Keys". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. http://www.billboard.com/#/song/alicia-keys/empire-state-of-mind-part-ii-broken-down/17364011. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  90. ↑ "ALICIA KEYS — EMPIRE STATE OF MIND (PART II) BROKEN DOWN (CHANSON)". LesCharts.com. Hung Medien. http://www.lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Alicia+Keys&titel=Empire+State+Of+Mind+%28Part+II%29+Broken+Down&cat=s. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  91. ↑ "Jay-Z + Alicia Keys – Empire State Of Mind". Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/Jay-Z-Alicia-Keys-Empire-State-Of-Mind/release/2027875. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  92. ↑ "Jay-Z Ft Alicia Keys — Empire State (The Mixes)". Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/Jay-Z-Ft-Alicia-Keys-Empire-State-The-Mixes/release/2116101. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  93. ↑ "Jay-Z & Alicia Keys – Empire State Of Mind". Discogs. http://www.discogs.com/Jay-Z-Alicia-Keys-Empire-State-Of-Mind/release/1995065. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
  94. ↑ ""Tops : Christophe Maé est de retour côté singles et les Black Eyed Peas en tête des albums"". Chartsinfrance. http://www.chartsinfrance.net/Christophe-Mae/news-69393.html. Retrieved 2010-02-02. 
  95. ↑ "Irish Singles Top 50 Issue Date: Thursday September 24, 2009". Irish Recorded Music Association. acharts.us. http://acharts.us/ireland_singles_top_50/2009/39. Retrieved 2010-05-04. 
  96. ↑ "Radio 1 - Chart Show — RnB Singles". BBC (BBC Online). 
  97. ↑ http://www.theofficialcharts.com/archive-chart/_/22/2009-10-24/
  98. ↑ 98.0 98.1 98.2 Pietroluongo, Silvio (2009-11-18). "Jay-Z Jumps To No. 1 On The Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. http://www.billboard.com/#/news/jay-z-jumps-to-no-1-on-the-hot-100-1004043615.story. Retrieved 2010-04-27. 
Jay-Z singles
Reasonable Doubt
"Dead Presidents" · "Ain't No Nigga" · "Can't Knock the Hustle" · "Feelin' It"
In My Lifetime, Vol. 1
"(Always Be My) Sunshine" · "The City Is Mine" · "Wishing On a Star"
Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life
"Can I Get A..." · "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" · "Money, Cash, Hoes" · "Jigga What, Jigga Who"
Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter
"Jigga My Nigga" · "Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up)" · Things That U Do" · "Big Pimpin'"
The Dynasty: Roc La Familia
"I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)" · "Change the Game" · "Guilty Until Proven Innocent"
The Blueprint
"Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" · "Girls, Girls, Girls" · "Jigga That Nigga" · "Song Cry"
The Blueprint²: The Gift & the Curse
"'03 Bonnie & Clyde" · "Hovi Baby" · "Excuse Me Miss"
The Black Album
"What More Can I Say" · "Change Clothes" · "Encore" · "Dirt off Your Shoulder" · "99 Problems"
Kingdom Come
"Show Me What You Got" · "Lost One" · "Hollywood" · "30 Something"
American Gangster
"Blue Magic" · "Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)..." · "I Know"
The Blueprint 3
"D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" · "Run This Town" · "Empire State of Mind" · "On to the Next One" · "Young Forever"
Collaborations
"20 Bag Shorty" · "Big Chips" · "Numb/Encore" · "Swagga Like Us"
As featured artist
"I'll Be" · "Money Ain't a Thang" · "Heartbreaker" · "4 da Fam" · "The Best of Me (Remix)" · "Fiesta (Remix)" · "Guess Who's Back" · "What We Do" · "Frontin'" · "Crazy in Love" · "Dear Summer" · "Go Crazy" · "Get Throwed" · "Déjà Vu" · "Upgrade U" · "Umbrella" · "Lost+" · "Mr. Carter" · "Money Goes, Honey Stay (When the Money Goes Remix)" · "I Wanna Rock (G-Mix)" · "XXXO" · "Hot Tottie" · "Monster"
Soundtrack singles
"Who You Wit" · "It's Alright" · "Girl's Best Friend" · "Hey Papi" · "La-La-La" · "Brooklyn Go Hard"
Other songs
"In My Lifetime" · "Anything" · "Takeover" · "Renegade" · "Jockin' Jay-Z (Dopeboy Fresh)" · "Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)" · "Power (Remix)"
Wikipedia book Book:Jay-Z · Category Category:Jay-Z songs · Portal Portal:Hip hop
Alicia Keys singles
Songs in A Minor
"Fallin'" • "A Woman's Worth" • "How Come You Don't Call Me" • "Girlfriend"
The Diary of Alicia Keys
"You Don't Know My Name" • "If I Ain't Got You" • "Diary" • "Karma"
Unplugged
"Unbreakable" • "Every Little Bit Hurts"
As I Am
"No One" • "Like You'll Never See Me Again" • "Teenage Love Affair" • "Superwoman"
The Element of Freedom
"Doesn't Mean Anything" • "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart" • "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down" • "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" • "Put It in a Love Song" • "Wait Till You See My Smile"
Other singles
"Gangsta Lovin'" • "My Boo" • "Ghetto Story Chapter 2" • "Another Way to Die" • "Empire State of Mind" • "Looking for Paradise" • "Fireworks"