"Empire State of Mind," Jay-Z f/ Alicia Keys

[Someone Like You]

The chorus on this is epic.

[Grenade]

#1 on iTunes.

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

I'm happy this is #1 on iTunes... but it's also kind of frustrating because it obviously means downloads are peaking too early. So it kind of makes it difficult to hope for this to ever go to #1 on the Hot 100.

[Grenade]

Goes for Urban adds October 6 and everywhere else October 20.

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

This is a smash already in Denmark! It's so cool that NYC is going to get such an international image boost from this song. It's like a reminder to the world that NYC is THE world's captial.

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

Debuts at #15 in the UK

[I HATE LA REID]

this song is AMAZING! Alicia sounds FANTASTIC!

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

I'd love it so much if this topped the Hot 100.

[RedDragon]

^ Maybe after the video premieres.

[I'M ON ONE]

Ok I just heard this on two different stations at the same time. I love Alicia's hook.

[I'M ON ONE]

[AFRO SAMURAI]

#3 in the UK. Jay now has two hits in the top 5 there.

[lenor]

#1 on UK itunes!

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

#2 on the UK chart now.

This HAS to chart higher in the US than the UK. It's such a patriotic song.

[TotallyEnormousExtinctDinosaur]

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys were spotted shooting the video for "Empire State of Mind" in New York's Tribeca neighborhood as well as around Ground Zero on Wednesday. Hype Williams is directing the clip. Keys recently told MTV News that she always figured the two native New Yorkers would do some kind of collaboration together.

"I've admired Jay-Z for a long time. Reasonable Doubt is my all-time favorite album, period, and he's been on the scene for long time. I always figured that we would do some type of collaboration, and finally, it came together with this," she said. "He reached out to me said, 'I have this big New York record. I feel its right for us to do it together. It has this big Frank Sinatra, take-it-there feeling. I feel like you could really do something with it. I went by [the studio], took a listen to it. I really felt the energy of New York all through it. It felt classic, it felt so good; the piano obviously was in there. I said, 'I love it, so let's do it.' We communicated a lot during the process. I think we both are really happy with how it came out."

[lenor]

cant wait to see the video! btw just had to post this, its too funny!!!!!!!

[Franck]

Oct 5, 2009 16:51:06 GMT -5 lenor said:

cant wait to see the video! btw just had to post this, its too funny!!!!!!!

haha this one cracked me up!

[angeltimes]

I hate this. i think Alicia sounds horrible on this.

[I HATE LA REID]

Alicia needs to stop comparing this to frank sinatra and liza minnelli..makes her sound stupid(i'm saying this because she gave an interview on a tv show)

[I'M ON ONE]

#12 on iTunes

[I'M ON ONE]

Oct 26 2009 1:43 PM EDT

Jay-Z, Alicia Keys To Perform At World Series' Opening Game
Pair will perform 'Empire State of Mind' at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.

By Shaheem Reid


Jay-Z loves to take hip-hop where it has never gone before — well, how about the World Series? Hov and Alicia Keys will be performing the Big Apple anthem "Empire State of Mind" on Wednesday at the new Yankee Stadium before game one's first pitch is thrown, Jay confirmed to MTV News on Monday (October 26).

"First of all, the new [Yankee] Stadium — it's the Yankees and it's game one of the World Series," Jay said while promoting his "DJ Hero: Renegade Edition" video game, which sees him teamed up with Eminem. The Yanks happen to be Hov's favorite baseball team.

"I'm beyond excited about it, and on top of that, it's a New York record. It's a record that pays homage to New York [and which was also performed at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards]. The timing of that couldn't be better," Hov enthused.

Jay said his spot at game one has been in place for several days — all he needed was for the Yankees to wrap things up against the Los Angeles Angels.

"The whole time we knew we had the performance," Jay laughed. "We knew we had the performance last week. I think it was 3-1 [in favor of the Yankees] at the time. [The Yankees] lost that game to make it 3-2. I was like, 'Man!' I had to come in [the stadium] with the stage and all that. I was like, 'Man, these guys gotta come on.' It was almost selfish."

Well, the Yankees sent the Angels home last night with a 5-2 American League pennant-winning victory at the stadium.

All through the playoffs, the Yankees have been showing love to Jay and his Blueprint 3. Derek Jeter has "Empire State of Mind" play during his at-bats, while Alex Rodriguez's theme songs have been "Already Home" and "Reminder." Meanwhile, Robinson Canó's at-bat are themed by "Run This Town."

[I'M ON ONE]

Fresh out the frying pan and onto the Internet comes the full video for Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind.” The black-and-white dedication to the Big Apple was directed by Hype Williams.

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys knocked it out of the park with their second live performance of “Empire State of Mind” during Game 2 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium on Thursday (Oct. 29). Lil’ Mama was nowhere in sight.

[I HATE LA REID]

lmao..Akeys looks like MJB on that performance

[HC]

I was expecting to love the music video and I'm a little surprised that I'm disappointed by it.

[Chains]

Video is a simple montage of the city. It works.