figure she kept – which had never moved before regardless of how loud they played music – fell over as they played the track for Platt, she considered it an omen. According to Hunte, when a Notorious B.I.G. Hunte and Sewell-Ulepic were hesitant, however, as they had already sent the track for consideration and were unsuccessful. However, in the summer of the same year, EMI Music Publishing's (EMI) 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". When they received a negative response on the track, they were convinced it would never be recorded. "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." Īlthough they wrote the song as a way to voice their feelings for their hometown, they sent it to the Roc Nation music label the following month in hope that Jay-Z would like it and record it.
Hunte was ill during that summer, while Sewell-Ulepic's mother was ill. The track's creation was inspired during an overseas trip Hunte and Sewell-Ulepic made to London in February 2009 when they were both feeling homesick. 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. "Empire State of Mind" was originally written by Brooklyn-native singer, songwriter and producer Angela Hunte and writing partner Janet "Jnay" Sewell-Ulepic. 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.
Her version was positively received by critics, reached the Top 10 in the UK, the Netherlands and Ireland charts, and peaked at number fifty-five on the Billboard Hot 100 without an official release. Keys 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). Usually when the duo performs the song, an overhead screen shows images of places in New York. It has been performed by Jay-Z and Keys multiple times, including during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards and the American Music Awards of 2009. "Empire State of Mind" was released as the third single from The Blueprint 3 in October 2009. 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. As of June 2014, the single has sold over 5.5 million copies in the United States. It appeared in 2009 year-end charts in Italy, Australia and the US, where it was also the last number one hit of the 2000s. In the US, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks, becoming Jay-Z's first number-one single on the chart as a lead artist. It peaked within the top 10 in many countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, Italy and Sweden. The song achieved commercial success worldwide. It was also nominated for three Grammy Awards, winning Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. It contains references to various locations in New York and its famous residents, while describing the city's essence.Ī critical and commercial success, "Empire State of Mind" was included in multiple critics' top 10 list of the best songs of 2009, including Rolling Stone magazine and The New York Times. The song was described by critics as an "orchestral rap ballad" with "crashing piano chords" and a "soaring" hook. "Empire State of Mind" contains songwriting contributions from Keys and Shux.
Blige was also considered for the part, but Keys was chosen after Jay-Z heard the song's piano loop. The song originally featured Hunte on the hook, but when Hunte and Sewell-Ulepic were asked if they thought anyone else would be more appropriate for the chorus, Hunte suggested Keys. The song's title is a wordplay and tribute to New York's nickname (Empire State) and could also be a reference to Empire State Building in Manhattan, New York City. They later took the suggestion of an associate of EMI Music Publishing and resubmitted it to Jay-Z, who kept the "New York" singing part on the hook, changed the verses, and recorded it. The following month, they submitted it to Jay-Z's label Roc Nation, whose reviews were a discouragement. It was originally written by Angela Hunte and Janet Sewell-Ulepic as a tribute to their hometown, New York City. Produced by Al Shux, the song features a music sample of " Love on a Two-Way Street" performed by The Moments. " Empire State of Mind" is a song performed by American rapper Jay-Z featuring vocals by American singer Alicia Keys, from Jay-Z's 11th studio album, The Blueprint 3 (2009).