New York City has a weird relationship with its own anthems. You’ve got the old-school Sinatra standard that everyone belt-sings at 2:00 AM after a few too many drinks, and then you’ve got the modern heavyweight. Since 2009, Alicia Keys Empire State of Mind has basically been the sonic equivalent of the Statue of Liberty. It’s everywhere. It’s in the cabs, it’s at the ballgames, and it’s definitely on every "Moving to NYC" TikTok playlist.
But honestly? This song was almost a total disaster.
If you weren't following the behind-the-scenes drama back then, you might think Jay-Z and Alicia just hopped into a studio, waved a magic wand, and birthed a Diamond-certified classic. Not even close. There were missed phone calls, a serious case of the flu, and a version of the song that—if we’re being real—Jay-Z almost gave to someone else entirely.
The Secret Origin: It Wasn't Even Jay-Z's Song
Most people assume Hova cooked this up from scratch. Actually, the seeds were planted by two songwriters, Angela Hunte and Jane't "Jnay" Sewell-Ulepic. They were in London, feeling homesick for the Big Apple, and started messing around with a piano loop.
When they sent the track to Roc Nation, the feedback wasn't great. People didn't "get" it. But Jay-Z heard that piano riff—a sample from "Love on a Two-Way Street" by The Moments—and knew he had something.
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He had a shortlist for the chorus. Mary J. Blige was actually the first choice. He was "two seconds away" from calling her. But then he thought about Alicia’s specific piano style. He wanted that raw, Hell's Kitchen energy.
That One Vocal Take (The "Sick" Session)
Here is something kinda crazy: Alicia Keys was actually sick when she recorded the first version of the hook. Like, really congested.
She was out in L.A. at the time, which she later admitted felt wrong. How can you record the definitive New York anthem while looking at palm trees? It doesn't work. Jay-Z heard the first cut and... let's just say he wasn't feeling it. He told her she needed to redo it.
She eventually got back into her "New York state of mind," redid the vocals with that soaring, glass-shattering power we know now, and the rest is history.
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Why the "Concrete Jungle" Lyric Is Actually Weird
Grammar nerds have been fighting about this for over a decade. The line is: "Concrete jungle where dreams are made of." Technically? It’s a mess. It should be "dreams are made" or "what dreams are made of." But music isn't a grammar test. The way Alicia hits those notes makes the clunky phrasing feel like gospel truth. It’s about the feeling of the city—that massive, overwhelming, slightly broken place where you might just become a star.
The "Part II" Phenomenon
While the Jay-Z collaboration dominated the charts, Alicia felt like her perspective got a bit lost in the rap verses. She wanted something more intimate.
In 2010, she released Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down.
This version is basically just Alicia, a piano, and some heavy drums. It’s less about the "hustler" narrative and more about the grit of the streets she grew up on. She sings about the "melting pot on the corner selling rock" and the "preachers praying to God." It’s a much more personal look at the city through the eyes of someone who actually lived in Hell's Kitchen before it was all luxury condos and Target stores.
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Interestingly, Part II actually stayed on the UK charts longer than the original. People connected with the vulnerability. It wasn't just a brag; it was a love letter.
The Cultural Weight in 2026
Looking back from 2026, the song has taken on a weird kind of nostalgia. New York has changed a lot since 2009. A lot of the mom-and-pop shops mentioned in the era of The Blueprint 3 are gone. But the song remains the "unofficial" anthem.
- The Yankee Hat: Jay-Z’s line about making the "Yankee hat more famous than a Yankee can" is still one of the biggest flexes in music history.
- The Diamond Status: In 2024, the song officially went Diamond (10 million units).
- The Broadway Connection: Alicia eventually brought her New York story to Broadway with the musical Hell's Kitchen, proving that the "Empire State" theme is the backbone of her entire career.
How to Experience the "Empire State" Vibe Today
If you’re visiting New York and want to feel like you’re in the music video, skip the tourist traps for a second.
- Check out 560 State Street: This is the Brooklyn address Jay-Z mentions in the first verse. It’s a real place where he (and the song's original writer, Angela Hunte) actually lived.
- Walk Hell's Kitchen at Dusk: Start near 42nd Street and walk West. You’ll see the "Big Lights" Alicia sings about, but you’ll also feel the residential grit that inspired her "Broken Down" version.
- The Times Square "Moment": Yes, it’s crowded. Yes, New Yorkers hate it. But standing in the middle of those screens while this song plays in your headphones? It’s a rite of passage.
The reality of New York is often louder, dirtier, and more expensive than the song suggests. But every time that piano intro starts, you kind of forget about the subway delays and the $18 cocktails. You just feel like you're in the center of the universe.
And that’s exactly what a great anthem is supposed to do.
Practical Takeaway: If you're a creator or artist, remember that the "perfect" take isn't always the first one. Alicia had to redo her vocals, and the song was rejected by multiple people before becoming a classic. Persistence is usually the difference between a forgotten demo and a Diamond record.