This song became the official anthem of New York City, almost stealing the place of Frank Sinatra’s famous New York New York. “I am the new Sinatra”, sings its interpreter, Jay-Z. In 2009, the rapper released his eleventh album entitled The Blueprint 3, featuring Empire State of Mind, which remains one of his biggest global hits.
In this title, which has sold more than three million copies in the United States, this native of the disadvantaged neighborhoods of Brooklyn, pays tribute to his city (Empire State being quite simply the nickname given to the State of New York), while evoking the American dream symbolized by the megalopolis of the East Coast. Jay-Z cites many references, but above all tells about his journey as a young delinquent who found his redemption in music, a rise as America knows how to do, New York with its skyline embodying this dream of success.
He shares this title with another native of the “Big Apple”, Alicia Keys, originally from Harlem. For this duo, Beyoncé’s husband had first thought of the rapper Nas, who had to refuse because he was too busy with his divorce from Kelis and the recording of his album with Damian Marley, Distant Relatives. Jay-Z then said that it was when he heard the piano notes that he thought of Alicia Keys, singer and musician. The clip shot in black and white offers views of different areas of the city (mainly around Harlem, Tribeca, Times Square and Ground Zero) and of its iconic buildings like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. It also puts in images anonymous people walking the streets of the one who never sleeps and who never ceases to fascinate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMX1sc3eOTE
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