#Jay z empire state of mind video series#

Paul McCartney welcomed Foo Fighters, who have carried the mantle as one of rockвЂ™s top arena acts. вЂњHe embodies what the potential of our lives can be and what success can be.вЂќ вЂњHe rhymed a recipe for survival,вЂќ Chappelle said. Legendary hip-hop director Hype Williams was responsible for putting together the music video to this track.В And the largely black-and-white affair was in fact filmed in New York City.Following a video introduction that included President Barack Obama, LeBron James and David Letterman, Jay-Z was inducted by comedian Dave Chappelle, who praised him for being an inspiration.

And the track was even utilized by the NYRA during the 2010 Belmont Stakes.ДЄdditionallyВ вЂњNew York State of MindвЂќВ took home a couple of GrammysВ in 2010.

#Jay z empire state of mind video series#

They even played it during the 2009 World Series (with Keys and Jigga once performing it live during the event). The song also went on to be adopted by the New York Yankees themselves. The tune also topped music charts in Greece and the Czech Republic and reached number two on the UK Singles Chart.В And in terms of its certifications, it achieved triple-platinum status in the US and Australia. In fact it was ranked one of the 10 best songs of 2009В by the likes ofВ the following major publications:ДЄnd despite the tune being about a particular locality, it did go on to chart in well over 20 nations worldwide.В This included scoring a number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as on three other Billboard Charts. figurine that she possessed.ДЄnd of courseВ вЂњNew York State of MindвЂќВ went on to become a major success. Janet Sewell actuallyВ grew up in the same apartment building, located at 560 State Street in Brooklyn (which isВ mentioned in the song), that Jay-Z did.В In fact the two of themВ knew each otherВ even before this track came out.ДЄs aforementioned Hunte and Sewell submitted this song twice before it was ultimately approved by Jigga himself.В And of course after the first rejection they were discouraged accordingly.В But what ultimately inspired Hunte in particular to try a second time is when she received whatВ she interpreted as an omenВ in relation to a Notorious B.I.G. This track is a product of Roc Nation, who putВ New York State of MindВ out on 20 October 2009.В ItвЂ™s the third single from what would actually be Jay-ZвЂ™s 11 thВ studio album,В вЂњThe Blueprint 3вЂќ. Robinson is an old school performer who is actually one of theВ pioneers of hip-hop.В And the reason she is credited as a co-writer is becauseВ вЂњEmpire State of MindвЂќВ samples a track she wrote that came out in 1970 entitledВ вЂњLove on a Two-Way StreetвЂќ, by the Moments.ДЄccording to some reports, it was Angela Hunte, who originally sang the hook, that Alicia Keys got involved.В Other reports imply that it was Jay-ZвЂ™s idea, as he felt the same in terms of KeysвЂ™ fit into the song.В But he hadВ also considered Mary J. was after the two of them submitted the tune (twice) to Roc Nation.В And by the time all was said and done Sewell and Hunte received both writing and production credit for the song, as did Al Shux.В And the trackвЂ™s other co-writers are as follows:

The way it came to the attention of Jay-Z and co. In fact they conceptualized the tune while visiting London in 2009 and suffering from homesickness. This song was originally conceived by a pair of writers named Janet Sewell and Angela Hunte, who are from New York City. And Alicia Keys joins Jigga in bigging-up New York as a place вЂњwhere dreams are made ofвЂќ and that вЂњmake(s) you feel brand-newвЂќ.В This strong feeling of affection for the NYC can actually be traced back to the songвЂ™s original writers, both native New Yorkers,В who penned the trackВ while they were in London and suffering from homesickness.