New York City has Frank Sinatra’s legendary “New York, New York,” Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind,” and the even more borough-centric tune with the Beastie Boys’ “No Sleep Till Brooklyn,” among the many odes to the Big Apple. Show Born and raised in the Bedford–Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York, along with classmates Busta Rhyme, and the late rappers The Notorious B.I.G. and DMX, New York City was also a natural filament in Jay-Z’s music, and in 2009 he released an homage to his hometown with “Empire State of Mind,” which hit No. 1 and earned two Grammy Awards for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and Best Rap Song. “I’m the New Sinatra” “Empire State of Mind” is a worthy successor of New York City song classics, capturing its hidden corners, residents, celebrity, smells, and the glitz and glamour and grit of the city through Jay-Z’s scattered homages pulled from his own life—from Yankees games and gypsy cabs to the street he used to live on 560 State Street. He even references Sinatra’s great New York ode singing since I made it here, I can make it anywhere. Yeah, I’m out that Brooklyn, now I’m down in Tribeca Though the song specifically references people, places, and memories personally connected to the rapper, there’s also a clear message in the meaning that regardless of where one comes they should follow their dreams.  Early Form Originally written by Angela Hunte, who coincidentally grew up in the same Marcy Projects building as Jay-Z, and her songwriting partner Janet “Jnay” Sewell-Ulepic as a tribute to their hometown of New York City, the song was initially submitted to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label. Jay-Z later rewrote the verses and kept the “New York” in the hook. “When I first heard the track, I was sure it would be a hit,” said Jay-Z. “It was gorgeous. My instinct was to dirty it up, to tell stories of the city’s gritty side, to use stories about hustling and getting hustled to add tension to the soaring beauty of the chorus.” Alicia Keys v. Mary J Blige Released on Jay-Z’s 11th album The Blueprint 3, the single features piano and vocals by Alicia Keys, who is also credited as a co-writer along with Angela Hunte, Alexander Shuckburgh, Bert Keyes, Janet Sewell-Ulepic, and Sylvia Robinson. Jay-Z was seconds away from calling Mary J. Blige to sing on “Empire State of Mind” but thought of Keys when he was listening to the piano loops. Once on board, Keys also ended up reworking the bridge of the song. In New York Samples The piano running throughout the song features a sample of The Moments’ 1970 single “Love on a Two-Way Street,” written by Sylvia Robinson and Burt Keyes. New Anthems Today, the song is played at various sports events, benefits, and other NYC events, still igniting the spirit of the Empire State. As Jay-Z and Alicia Keys lock up their fourth week atop the Billboard Hot 100 this week with "Empire State of Mind," there isn't anyone as excited about the feat as singer/songwriter/producer Angela H… By Mariel Concepcion
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Angela Hunte As Jay-Z and Alicia Keys lock up their fourth week atop the Billboard Hot 100 this week with “Empire State of Mind,” there isn’t anyone as excited about the feat as singer/songwriter/producer Angela Hunte. Along with writing partner Jane’t “Jnay” Sewell-Ulepic, the Brooklyn-native originally wrote and produced the track about her beloved hometown. ExploreSee latest videos, charts and news Alicia KeysBritney SpearsCorinne Bailey RaeSee latest videos, charts and news “I come from the same building where he [Jay-Z] lived, and we knew each other from Brooklyn, but we never worked together. Not in a million years did I think I’d make this hit for him,” says Hunte, who actually grew up at “560 State Street,” the street address Jay-Z mentions on the track. “I still have no words even for the World Series performance. You get your hopes up with artists but then things happen and the record doesn’t make it for whatever reason. But Jay loved the song, it made the album and it sounds crazy.” RelatedMåneskin Is Making Live Rock Thrilling (And Sexy) Again12/11/2009Hunte created the track with Sewell-Ulepic after the two shared their homesick feelings during an overseas trip. “My writing partner and I were in London, missing home. Her mother was ill at the time and I was sick that summer, and we were just down,” Hunte explains. “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.” That was in February, and although they wrote the track as simply a way to voice their hometown longing, they secretly sent it to Roc Nation a month later in hopes that Jay-Z would like it and use it. When they received negative reviews about the track, they were convinced it was doomed to the vault. But then at a summer BBQ, EMI’s Jon “Big Jon” Platt heard the track and fell in love with it, realizing “it would be perfect for Jay-Z,” says Hunte. Hunte and Sewell-Ulepic were hesitant, though, being that they had sent the track for consideration already and were shut down. But when a Notorious B.I.G. figure she kept by the computer fell as they played the track for Platt — a statue that had never moved before regardless of how loud they’ve blasted music, according to Hunte — she realized it was an omen. “We all just looked at each other like, ‘if Biggie approves, then, send it to Jay,” she says. The next day, Platt sent it to Jay-Z and he “loved it and recorded it that night,” Hunte recalls. “We were just so happy he wanted to honor our work and our production. Two female producers/writers and for him as a rapper to take our song — that’s not a combination you see a lot. For him to be so open-minded about it, we just couldn’t be any more grateful and thankful.” Jay-Z ended up writing all new verses inspired from the original lyrics and leaving Hunte on the hook. But when Hunte and Sewell-Ulepic were asked if they thought someone else would be more appropriate for the chorus, Hunte suggested Alicia Keys. “She’s never done a record with him and she also has my same vocal tone. She made the song sound so close to the original,” says Hunte. “She just nailed it and brought it home. It was a great choice.” Hunte got her start as an aspiring singer, but strayed into songwriting as music became more “commercial. I just felt there was no place for me in music at that time,” she says. She started going to the studio and studying production alongside mentor and producer Salaam Remi. In 2001, she signed a deal brokered by Remi with EMI and went to Europe to write for the likes of Ms. Dynamite from the UK, Mis-teeq and British R&B singer Beverly Knight, among others. Her big break came when she penned the track “Do Somethin'” for Britney Spears, which appeared in her “Greatest Hits: My Prerogative” compilation, and was released as the second single off the set. In 2007 she returned to the U.S.and immediately went in the studio with Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Danity Kane group, for which she wrote the first single “Show Stopper.” The track reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Since then, Hunte’s worked with Justin Timberlake, Timbaland and Melanie Fiona, to list a few. She is slated to go in the studio with Young Jeezy, Roc Nation artist J. Cole and up-and-coming rapper H 2-0. Additionally, she is at work on her own as-yet-untitled album, which she describes as a “Pop, electronic set with a dash of gulliness.” Although Hunte wouldn’t reveal many details, she says the original version of “Empire State of Mind” will one day be released . “The original is so powerful it’s only a matter of time till you hear it down the line,” she says. In the future she hopes to team up with the likes of Sting, Elton John, Miley Cyrus and Corinne Bailey Rae. Who first sang New York State of Mind?"New York State of Mind" is a song written by Billy Joel that initially appeared on the album Turnstiles in 1976.
What is JayThe Top 15 Jay Z Songs. 1. “ Empire State Of Mind” Photo: PRNewsfoto/Moët Hennessy.. 2. “ Dirt Off Your Shoulder”. 3. “ The Story Of OJ”. 4. “ Dead Presidents”. 5. “ Jigga What, Jigga Who”. 6. “' 03 Bonnie & Clyde”. 7. “ Song Cry”. “Onto The Next One” JayZVEVO. 815K subscribers. ... . Who covered Empire State of Mind?Ed Sheern put a new spin on Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' hip-hop classic “Empire State of Mind.” The British singer made the New York anthem his own with a soulful acoustic version during his appearance on BBC Radio 1Xtra's “Live Lounge.” He also performed “Drunk,” a song off his debut +.
Why did Alicia Keys sing New York?Why sing a song famously about New York City during a celebration of a British monarch's historic 70-year-reign? As it turns out, Keys sang about New York because Queen Elizabeth wanted her to. "Telling the boys that the Queen requested the songs that I'm singing," Keys shared on Instagram.
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Who sang the original Empire State of Mind?
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