With the intention of curing the feeling of being homesick, Angela Hunte and Jane’t Sewell-Ulepic originally wrote “Empire State of Mind” during an overseas trip. This song summed up the magical aspect of being in New York and being a New Yorker. After sending the lyrics to Roc Nation, the lyrics eventually fell into the hands of Hip Hop star Jay Z. Erasing the original lyrics but keeping the hook, Jay Z brought the song alive with his own experiences and views of his hometown New York. Along with Alicia Keys, “Empire State of Mind” was recorded in 2009 and became a successful marking in the New York City culture. This led to Alicia Keys setting out to establish her own rendition of her New York experience in a sequel entitled “Empire State of Mind Part II Broken Down” in 2009.
The collaboration of Jay Z and Alicia Keys with the new urban New York anthem was very successful. The original song titled “Empire State of Mind” is categorized as hip-hop. The sequel to “Empire State of Mind” is important because it shows the progression of a song in the same context, however with a different experience and expression through another individual. The connection that brought the duo together and pushed this project forward was their love and growth from New York and the people they were able to become today because of the lives they lived. The people in New York are always so proud of where they live, including myself so the thought of having something that could relate to you, gives you a sense of pride.
Keys decided to construct her own rendition because she wanted to give her personal account of New York; allowing for more vocals, more instrumentals, intimacy and more of a breakdown of how she viewed New York. This was included in her album The Elements of Freedom. That also shows the importance of both the original and the sequel to this song, it allows people an outlet, and it allows people to tell their stories. These songs give the community something to relate to and look for inspiration. I know this for a fact because while driving a very long distance I played this song because it gave me courage and hope that I was coming home and that I could do the drive. I felt empowered and I had to complete the journey. A lot of people listen to these lyrics whether a big or small obstacle, and the idea of accomplishment is found through these lyrics. In the lyrics, “grew up in a town that is famous as a place of movie scenes,” romanticizes the idea of New York and describes how a lot of people see New York. New York is known through history as tough and a place where only the strong survives; yet it renders the idea of living the fairy tale life of glitz and glam. New York has been depicted in several movies and there are various songs inspired by the city.
Keys refer to the street as being “mean,” which again points out the real life struggle that exists. There are a lot of opportunities where you can positively alter your life, but there are also challenges that can negatively impact your life. In 1973 there was a film titled “Mean Streets” that depict the life of a young man trying to achieve success but ends up allowing the streets to help destroy him. Line five is commonly associated with Frank Sinatra in the song “New York, New York,” another song that creates motivation and inspiration in people. The commonality of using New York in songs and movies only solidifies the idea that New York was a place where an individual could dream big. In line six, seeing your face on Broadway in marquees meant success and accomplishment. People who were known for things whether it was modeling or being a