Empire State of Mind Archives

JAY-Z Adds New RIAA Certifications to Numerous Classic Singles, Including “I Just Wanna Love U”

August 26, 2024 by newhiphopnews

JAY-Z has added more platinum plaques to his illustrious career. Adding to the numbers, the Recording Industry Association of America added honors to six Hov singles, one of which, “I Just Wanna Love You (Give It 2 Me),” officially obtained platinum status.

Additionally, “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” is double platinum, “99 Problems” is triple platinum, “Holy Grail” with Justin Timberlake and “Run This Town” with Rihanna and Kanye West both going 6x platinum. Jay and Ye also go triple platinum with “No Church in the Wild.”

Hov also certified Alicia Keys as a diamond artist thanks to her classic NYC anthem with Jay-Z, “Empire State Of Mind.”

As of July 24, Keys earned the certification along with Jay-Z, whioc has sold over 10 million units since its 2009 release.

Keys tweeted, “Empire is diamond!!!!!!!!,” as Roc Nation made the formal announcement.

This marks Keys’ first Diamond single and Hov’s third. His first came in 2023 with his Kanye West collab, “N***as In Paris” from their 2011 joint album, Watch The Throne. His second came back in May when Rihanna’s “Umbrella” achieved the feat.

The post JAY-Z Adds New RIAA Certifications to Numerous Classic Singles, Including “I Just Wanna Love U” first appeared on The Source.

The post JAY-Z Adds New RIAA Certifications to Numerous Classic Singles, Including “I Just Wanna Love U” appeared first on The Source.

Alicia Keys Earns First Diamond Single With “Empire State of Mind” Featuring Jay-Z

July 25, 2024 by newhiphopnews

According to the RIAA, Songstress Alicia Keys is now a certified diamond artist, thanks to her classic NYC anthem with Jay-Z “Empire State Of Mind”.

As of yesterday(July 24), Keys earned the certification along with Jay-Z, whioc has sold over 10 million units since its 2009 release.

Keys tweeted, “Empire is diamond!!!!!!!!,” as Roc Nation made the formal announcement.

The post Alicia Keys Earns First Diamond Single With “Empire State of Mind” Featuring Jay-Z first appeared on The Source.

The post Alicia Keys Earns First Diamond Single With “Empire State of Mind” Featuring Jay-Z appeared first on The Source.

Alicia Keys Secures First Diamond-Certified Single With Jay-Z Collab “Empire State Of Mind”

July 24, 2024 by newhiphopnews

It’s no secret that Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ 2009 collab “Empire State Of Mind” is one of the most iconic NYC anthems of all time. Despite being released over a decade ago, it continues to find success and recently reached yet another impressive milestone. The track has officially been diamond-certified by the RIAA, meaning it’s moved more than a whopping 10 million units.

The feat is especially exciting for Keys, as this is her first-ever diamond-certified single. She took to X today to celebrate, retweeting various posts about the accomplishment. “Empire is diamond!!!!!!!!” she also wrote, seeming thrilled about her latest achievement.

Jay-Z & Alicia Keys’ “Empire State Of Mind” Is Now Diamond-Certified

“Empire State Of Mind”@SC featuring @aliciakeys
Officially @RIAA Certified Diamond pic.twitter.com/x1tplKqZG5

— Roc Nation (@RocNation) July 24, 2024

As for Jay-Z, the track is now one of three of his to reach diamond status, joining hits like “N****s In Paris” with Kanye West and “Umbrella” with Rihanna. He’s yet to comment on his latest brag-worthy feat, though Roc Nation’s official X account shared a snippet of the iconic song today to celebrate. After the song’s release, it topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks, was nominated for three Grammy awards, and more. Needless to say, the two artists work well together, and could even have another collaboration coming soon.

Last month, Keys hopped on X to thank fans for their support over the years, sharing a clip of herself standing next to Jay-Z. “1 Dream, 1 Song, 1 Billion streams [prayer hands emojis],” she captioned it. “Thank you! We love you. What’s next…. [eyes emoji] [shushing emoji].” This sparked speculation that they could have another collab on the way, though this is still unconfirmed. What do you think of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ song “Empire State Of Mind” reaching Diamond status? Are you surprised or not? What about it becoming Keys’ first-ever Diamond-certified single? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

[Via]

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Jay-Z Surprised The 2024 Tony Awards By Joining Alicia Keys For A Spirited ‘Empire State Of Mind’ Performance

June 17, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Jay-Z doesn’t exactly have the strongest association with the Broadway world, but he still managed to wow at this weekend’s Tony Awards.

Alicia Keys’ musical Hell’s Kitchen was among this year’s nominees, so she performed during the ceremony. She began with a rendition of “Empire State Of Mind (Part II) Broken Down” before transitioning into the original “Empire State Of Mind,” during which Jay appeared on a giant screen to perform his part of the song, which got a big reaction from the audience. It turned out Jay was performing from the lobby outside of the venue, and Keys made her way out there to perform the track alongside Jay.

Alicia Keys and Jay-Z perform “Empire State of Mind” at the #TonyAwards pic.twitter.com/QuPq3I098e

— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) June 17, 2024

This actually isn’t Jay’s first Tonys experience: He was a producer of the musical Fela!, which is based on the life of Nigerian singer Fela Kuti. The show was one of the most-nominated at the 2010 Tonys, racking up 11 nods including for Best Musical. Jay said of the show at the time, “It’s an inspiration, about the power of music. Here’s a guy that’s on the other side of the world who was influenced by James Brown, who takes this thing and makes his own sort of genre of music. I just think it’s fascinating.”

Check out the performance above.

Alicia Keys & JAY-Z Reunite To Perform “Empire State of Mind” At The Tony Awards

June 16, 2024 by newhiphopnews

Alicia Keys brought out JAY-Z for a performance of their iconic 2009 collaboration, “Empire State of Mind,” during the 2024 Tony Awards on Sunday night. The event was held at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. “Are we in New York City tonight? Are we at the Tony Awards tonight? Had to do something crazy. It’s my hometown,” Keys said to introduce the performance.

From there, cameras cut to JAY-Z performing his verse outside of the venue. Soon afterward, Keys joined him to sing the chorus. As for the awards show itself, the musical Hell’s Kitchen, which was inspired by Keys’ discography, was nominated. It details Keys’ childhood in Manhattan during the 1990s.

Alicia Keys & JAY-Z Perform During The Tony Awards

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 16: Jay-Z and Alicia Keys perform during The 77th Annual Tony Awards at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on June 16, 2024, in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)

Keys and JAY-Z teamed up for “Empire State of Mind” as a single for the latter’s 11th studio album, The Blueprint 3. It dominated the charts after release, staying at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks. It also received nominations for three Grammy Awards, while winning both Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. Check out Keys and JAY-Z’s performance of the song at the Tony Awards below.

Alicia Keys Brings Out JAY-Z For The Tony Awards

Alicia Keys and Jay-Z perform “Empire State of Mind” at the #TonyAwards pic.twitter.com/QuPq3I098e

— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) June 17, 2024

Prior to the performance, Keys seemingly teased having another collaboration with the legendary rapper on the way. In a post on social media, she wrote: “1 Dream, 1 Song, 1 Billion streams [prayer hands emojis]. Thank you! We love you. What’s next…. [eyes emoji] [shushing emoji].” Be on the lookout for further updates on Alicia Keys and JAY-Z as well as the Tony Awards on HotNewHipHop.

[Via]

The post Alicia Keys & JAY-Z Reunite To Perform “Empire State of Mind” At The Tony Awards appeared first on HotNewHipHop.

Alicia Keys Reveals Jay-Z Almost Replaced Her On “Empire State Of Mind”

July 27, 2023 by newhiphopnews

During a recent interview with Mix 94.7, Alicia Keys discussed her hit 2009 collab with Jay-Z, “Empire State Of Mind.” The songstress revealed that she was close to being replaced on the track, due to Jay-Z having difficulty contacting her. According to Keys, her famous part in the song was almost sung by somebody else.

“He had this idea, he wanted to build it out. He wanted to make it the New York energy,” the artist explained. “The crazy part of that story that I just love is that he actually couldn’t get in touch with me because you go through the different channels, management, all these different places.” Jay-Z initially had the song’s original writers, Angela Hunte and Janet Sewell-Ulepic, singing the hook. They suggested that the Roc Nation founder tap Keys for the chorus, and the rest was history.

Jay-Z Thought He Had “To Move On”

“He couldn’t really get movement on it. And so at one point, he was like, ‘Alright, I might have to move on, I can’t connect with her. I guess I have to do it with somebody else,’” Keys continued. “Could you imagine if that ended up happening? I think about it all the time.” The iconic song certainly wouldn’t be the same without the stylings of Alicia Keys, and surely fans are glad they were eventually able to connect.

“Empire State Of Mind” went 9X platinum at the end of last month, now selling over 9 million units. It was a major success upon its release, landing at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks straight. It was the first of Jay-Z’s songs as lead artist to hit No. 1. The song went gold, and platinum within only two months, cementing its place in hip hop history. Apparently, the song has even done so well that the artists worry about creating something on the same level. Last year, Keys told E! News that she feels it “hinders” the collaborators, as they fear the 2009 track can never be topped.

[Via]

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Jay-Z & Alicia Keys’ “Empire State Of Mind” Has Gone 9X Platinum

June 28, 2023 by newhiphopnews

If you were to say you haven’t heard Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ 2009 song “Empire State of Mind,” you would be lying. The unofficial anthem of New York City, one can hear it crossing terminals at JFK Airport. Any millennial worth their weight in rap has this on their top-10 list of the early aughts. And now, Jay-Z can sit back and revel in the song going Platinum a whopping nine times. Going Certified Platinum today, June 28, 2023, it took the track almost 14 years to move nine million units.

“Empire State of Mind” had momentum from the jump. Jay-Z dropped the single on September 1, 2009, ten days before the eight-year anniversary of 9/11. The track went Gold and Platinum in two months. By April 2010, it had gone triple-Platinum. The higher the honor goes, the tougher it is to reach that benchmark. So to see “Empire State” do it nine times is quite impressive. For Jay-Z, this is nothing surprising; most of his lyrics comment on him being the best rapper to do it, and this is just further proof.

Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, And The Legacy Of “Empire State”

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Originally, “Empire State of Mind” had Angela Hunte and Janet Sewell-Ulepic on the hook. In fact, they were the writers of the first version of the song. They had to submit the track twice to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation before Jay decided to keep the chorus, switch up the verse, and record it himself. Roc Nation asked Hunte and Sewell-Ulepic if they thought anyone else was more appropriate for the chorus. They suggested Alicia Keys, and Jay considered Mary J. Blige as well. But once he heard the piano loop, he knew Keys was the right choice.

“Empire State of Mind” was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for five straight weeks, making it the first Jay-Z track to top the charts with him as a lead artist. Keeping with the “State of Mind” theme, a la Billy Joel and Nas, the song’s title is a reference to the Empire State Building. The “Excelsior” state and the city that never sleeps are grateful for such a powerful and indicative anthem, showcasing the culture behind one of America’s greatest cities.

[Via]

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Jay-Z Surprises Fans With “Empire State Of Mind” Remix Ft. Gil Scott-Heron

April 17, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Jay-Z blessed fans with some new music inspired by his recent performance at Foundation Louis Vuitton. The rapper came through with a remix of his 2009 hit with Alicia Keys, “Empire State Of Mind.” The rework, titled “New York (Concept De Paris),” sheds the big, radio-friendly vibe of the song’s original version for a gritty and bluesy rendition. The mash-up between “Empire State Of Mind” and Gill Scott Heron’s “New York Is Killing Me” brings a beautiful pairing between two of the city’s greatest poets of all time.

The song’s release came shortly after Jay-Z appeared in Paris for a rare performance at Basquiat x Warhol. Painting Four Hands exhibition. Foundation Louis Vuitton hosted the incredibly rare and intimate performance in front of a smaller crowd. Hov went through the catalog and delivered an exceptional set including songs like “Can’t Knock The Hustle,” “Can I Live,” “U Don’t Know,” “N***as In Paris,” and “Heart Of The City (Ain’t No Love).” He also debuted “New York (Concept De Paris)” when he performed “Empire State Of Mind.”

Jay-Z Takes On Paris

Jay-Z’s performance in Paris led fans to hope that, perhaps, he might be returning with new music soon. The Brooklyn-born rapper has hardly delivered new solo music in recent times. For the most part, he’ll pop out with a guest verse, such as his show-stopping performance alongside Rick Ross and Lil Wayne on DJ Khaled’s “God Did.” He released 4:44 in 2017 before teaming up with Beyonce on Everything Is Love as The Carters and then, linked up with Jay Electronica on A Written Testament.

During an interview with Kevin Hart in 2022, Jay-Z addressed the possibilities of retirement. He seemingly ruled it out, largely because he has a consistent urge to remain creative. However, he’s not necessarily focusing on releasing a new album. “I don’t know what happens next,” he said. “I’m not actively making music or making an album or have plans to make an album, but I never want to say that I’m retired. It’s a gift, so who am I to shut it off. And it may have a different form or interpretation. Maybe it’s not an album, maybe it is. I have no idea, but I’m just going to leave it open.” We’ll keep you posted on any more updates on Jay-Z.