Empire State of Mind (feat. Alicia Keys)

Recorded in 2009 in New York at Roc the Mic and Oven Studios, with Jay-Z and Alicia Keys on vocals. The original release credits Alexander Shuckburgh (Al Shux) as producer, with Angela Hunte and Janet Sewell-Ulepic as co-producers. Released as the third single from The Blueprint 3, the track became a major crossover hit and spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It gave Jay-Z his first Hot 100 chart-topper as a lead artist and quickly became one of the defining rap singles of 2009. The song remains one of Jay-Z’s signature records and a durable New York anthem. It won Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the Grammy Awards and continues to circulate widely in sports, film, and city branding contexts.