Fri 30 Oct 2009
Video: Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys “Empire State of Mind”
Posted by Miss Info under new music , things I like , videos[61] Comments
nice. Directed by Hype Williams. Am I the only one that gets reminded of the old Saturday Night Live opening montage when this video starts?
(thank you to Illionaire of UHTN)
October 30th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Dope! Hype changed cameras…that’s a different look for his videos.
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Christmas Lights Orlando Reply:
October 30th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Yeah…sure is – he must be stepping his game up! As if that’s possible cause he’s the man!
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Christmas Lights Orlando Reply:
October 30th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Loving the video btw..
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NUYO HOOD Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 10:17 am
HOLD UP!!!!
My word that was lil mama @ 1:54 across the street from Jay?
AND IN NEW YORK THEY PLAY THIS SONG, AND RUN THIS TOWN W/ RHIANNA, AND THAT SONG WITH DRAKE WAYNE YE AND EM TOOOOOOOOOOOO
DAMMMN MUUUUUUUUCH! I DONE SICK OF DA SHIT!
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RunninTrainsOnAsians Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Damn I miss Biggie and ‘Pac….this effin’ trash.
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October 30th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Man that video could have been soooo much more..Love this song…Love my NYC…. Disappointed by the video!
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INOA Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 12:48 am
You is smokin garbage. Stop That.
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October 30th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
I remember the video he did “Where Im From” he shot it in Marcy projects he had niggaz from the hood in the video, he was representing the street life.. And this video look like it made 4 Bill Ratner & Oprah, y he aint reppin Marcy project in the video ??? this song suppose 2 be about NY ??!! Fuck Camel Boy Expose this rich fraud ass nigga Beans.. Beans & 50cent are hood 4Eva Fuck this Bitch nigga !!!
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mustafa Reply:
October 30th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
that was warped smh i’m disappointed in you as a human being seriously.
Please try to do better.
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NUYO HOOD Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 10:24 am
YOU CANT STAY IN THE HALLWAYS TALKIN BOUT HOW YOU IN THE HALLWAYS ALL DAY!
What you want, him in the playground at the projects, with a gang a niggas smokin weed and playin dice with they pits out, and the bitches and whips drinkin 40’s lookin like they sellin on the corner???
ANDDDDDDD, what was the last video beans and 50 cent made about the hood, with them shootin footage in the hood??????
people have to evolve to something better…sheeeeeeeeesh!
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October 30th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
VIDEO IS A LET DOWN…NOT FEELING IT! SONG IS COOL!
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INOA Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 12:50 am
You gets no props talking that bullshit. NY is where is at
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October 30th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Just noticed – he said “Hail Mary to the city you’re a virgin and Jesus can’t save you, life start when the church end”…?
Poor.
Shame re the vid too. Such a shame cos the beat is sick. Phfmmm.
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Mr_Wayne Reply:
October 30th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
That’s the same thing I noticed too. That’s inexcusable.
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Triune Reply:
October 30th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Hail Mary to the city you’re a virgin IF Jesus can’t save you, life start when the church end”…? That’s the correct line.
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The Destroyer Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Naw he said “…and Jesus can’t save you Life start when the church end”…the question is he entertaining these rumors or is he really on some “Secret Society” shit…smh
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INOA Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 12:52 am
You skimming through the rhymes. But in the club tonight, you’ll be reciting Gucci Mane
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The Destroyer Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 2:15 pm
I hope Hov cutting you a check for all this [edit] you doing…listening to the music and get [edit] Gucci’s and Hov’s [edit]
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October 30th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
this video reminds me of the beginning of west side story – the movie
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October 30th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
youre right Miss Info!!! any idea when theyll be on SNL!!!!
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October 30th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Perfect only thing missing was your standard shot of marcy projects but that’s been done already so no big deal really, on to the next.
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October 30th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
She Gotta Friend video > this garbage.
BURR BURR BURR.
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October 30th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
NO SWAGG AT ALL!!
Isnt this the exact same video Kanye West made with Chris Martin?
Jay-z cant let no one shine, or have anything thats their own. Just like how Beyonce’ wont let any of her peers shine, or have something in particular that their own without doing it too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hotjeKvovg
IT’S THE SAME THING!!! EVEN THE SAME DAMNNN TYPE OF SONG! SMFH OLD MAN SIT DOWN!
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INOA Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 12:53 am
Please, stop with the Camel face and old man shit. Good music is good music. Period.
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SD23 Reply:
November 11th, 2009 at 4:25 am
Not even close to the same thing.. Kanye sucks, I’m sure he will cry bout it like he does everything else! He needs to grow up!
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October 30th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Alicia Keys is probably the only person who can play the piano and make it look sooooo sexy. Damn.
Those hips… hypnotic!
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October 30th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
He would never be here if “Pac” and “Biggie” wouldn’t of passed. We excepted “Jay” because we mourned the two “Icon’s”. We would of never let “Jay” in. He should of stayed retired.
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INOA Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 12:55 am
Shut up. You must’ve meant accepted, not excepted. Asshole
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maysman Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 1:52 am
How wouldn’t they Jay in. You are talkin reckless for no reason. And why are you bringing things up for no reason. Pac and Big are gone, RIP, stop bringing up “what would have happend if this would’ve happen” People like you are the reason why Drake know G1 pilots on a first name basis. If you not feeling Jay dont say nothin, especially about how the “present” should be…
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NUYO HOOD Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 10:35 am
That’s bullshit!
You honestly think BIGGIE and PAC would have stayed in the hood all day everyday for ever????? Neither one was living in the hood when they were killed. Biggie was on Puff team, look how puff move now. And Biggie followed Puff like a puppy! Jay and Big was that 1 and 2 punch combo. Big would have been just like Jay now a days. Big would have been 37 years old by now. Jay 39. You cant/couldnt have excpect/ed these GROWN ASS RICH MEN to act like vagrant hoods on a corner all day for the rest of their lives!
It’s like ‘misery’ wants to see niggas broke and in the hood!
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October 30th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
Dope.
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October 30th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
THIS SHOULD BE VIDEO OF THE YEAR, GREAT VIDEO, LETS GO NY
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October 30th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Disappointed by the video? Jay is a multimillionaire. Does he have to never grow up and keep it in the projects to keep some of you happy. Its called growth people. What you did in 1996 shouldnt be what your on in 2009. Marcy Projects isnt exactly a representation of NYC, and this is coming from somebody who grew up and grew out of the neighborhood. Go to college, get a job, and expand to the world beyond the hood people!
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NUYO HOOD Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 10:36 am
there you go!
That’s the empire state of mind niggas should have!
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October 30th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Loved the video. Being an out of towner and living in NY was always a Dream. When I got a chance to live there I was all over that city Uptown downtown and the X dont kno shit bout queens. Now Im back in CO with Empire plates on my car….
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October 30th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
THE SAME PEOPLE THAT PUT YOU TO THE TOP WILL BE THE SAME ONES THAT TRY TO BRING YOU DOWN… LETS SEE WHEN ONE OF YALL HATERS MAKE IT TO THE TOP i WANT TO SEE WHAT YOU GOT TO SAY THEN… SUCCESS IS LIKE SUICIDE, THE GIFT AND THE CURSE…. YALL IS TO BLAME FOR SOME OF THESE CELEBS DEATH… YALL NEED TO CHECK YA SELF AND LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND ASK YOURSELF IF ITS HATE OR ENVY
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October 30th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Liked the video but could have been way better. By the way, where’s lil’ mama?
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INOA Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 12:57 am
Stop with the Lil Mama joke is corny and wasted like you.
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October 30th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
The video was alright could have been better, Here’s how:
1. The piano was a bit akward maybe they shoulda lost it.
2. Would have been better if Kanye West didnt already use this EXACT concept for his video of homecoming, Chris Martin, shout out to Chicago, Anyone?.(Is hype running out of ideas?)
3. The video looks like its been shot by the New York tourist board. I know there’s more to New York than just Manhatten. WHAT NO SHOUT OUT TO MARCY? Not exactly the image you want to be putting out on the street if someone(Beans) is attacking your street cred.
4.And finallly Alicia Keys looked beautiful but she was just ‘feeling’ it a bit too much you know what i mean. Thats all.
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October 30th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
black & white? really?? Not feelin that…
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INOA Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 1:00 am
Cause yous a colorful fruity ass motherfucker.
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October 30th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
oh snap! no lil mama lol just kidding but it’s a great video
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October 30th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
What a lame Disney version of New York, nobody is saying you have to film it in the PJs, but how about showing the faces of real NYers besides yourself and Alicia. And those tourist traps in the video, puhleeze
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INOA Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 1:02 am
Listen to the words he saying when peoples faces get blurred. Thats G nigga. Those aint actors who wanna show they face when they were probably on the block gettin it.
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Active423 Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 1:23 pm
you one of many that expressed it valid without hating on the man for no reason
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October 31st, 2009 at 12:53 am
The video is cool. Jay-Z’s videos are never mindblowing. If you want that then you go to Kanye. He’s probably this generation’s Michael Jackson/Madonna when it comes to consistently great videos.
He could’ve included the streets in his video. He was just in Marcy for Oprah with a crowd of people just begging to be put in it. The footage was there!
“Me I’m out that BedStuy Home of that boy Biggie
now I live on Billboard and I brought my boys with me”
Oh really?
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Dat!boy Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 7:41 pm
Ty Ty is the boys whom Jay talking about.
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October 31st, 2009 at 2:06 am
Me being a one time visitor to NY, I liked the vid. I took a pic on those red steps in Times Square. I hear what yall are sayin though because as a tourist I went to all the spots in that video and if you’re from NY it’s gotta be a lil deeper than tourist spots.
SIDENOTE- I really am feelin the way Alicia Keys gyrates/hunches over the piano/moves around!
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October 31st, 2009 at 4:50 am
I love Jay, and the video’s cool, but your station really needs to chill with the Jay-z and Beyonce worship, its really fuggin irritating….every other minute is a song from one of these two and I cant listen to your shows for two minutes without hearing some VJ kissing their ass…I’m mad enough with the lack of Nas and Eminem airplay, pleez, Jay and Beyonce ain’t Obama and Michelle, get off their jocks
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October 31st, 2009 at 10:34 am
Theres a movement starting on the web, its called.
“Jay-Z? We Off That” some1 asks you just say “jay-Z??? we off that”
join the Jay-Z boycott, make sure he doesnt appear on 2010 Forbes List.
——————————————-
here are some of Jay-Z’s products ventures you can boycott
40/40 clubs
Rocawear
any CD with RocNation on it
all jay-Z CDs…new or back catalogue
Jay-Z does some Budweiser Select commercials…switch drinks
New Jersey Nets
J Hotels
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October 31st, 2009 at 11:06 am
everyone type “BOYCOTT JAY-Z” on your twitter
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October 31st, 2009 at 11:09 am
I’ve been reading all the posts and the one thing I take from all the posts concerning anything Jay-Z (on this blog by posters) is for some reason people think he left the streets behind. I don’t get this why can’t he grow as a person. Is Jay Z supposed to live in Marcy is he supposed to act the exact same way when he was 18 or 25 or even 30? I mean read a book, listen to music out of your comfort zone,talk to someone not from the hood. Your space isn’t the only one on the planet! This is what his money has given him access to do have different experiences. And when you do that you want to talk about different things.Our community is fascinated by stagnation or as we like to call it keeping it hood.Hip Hop is now a worldwide phenomenon not just a hood one and an artist like Jay-Z has to balance his Marcy roots with his new fan base that is about as far from Marcy as you can be. The video is good not great and the song is a good look for all New Yorkers (not just the hood). If you want to listen to “Where I’m from go right ahead” but that isn’t what he wanted to do with this record he wanted broader appeal sprinkled with some street references. Let’s see another hip hop artist make a relevant album at 40 years old!
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October 31st, 2009 at 12:02 pm
what’s all the flack Jay’s getting for no PJ shot, the PJ shot has been done over and over again why not show the beautiful parts of the city, in a rap video for a change. Every time a rapper wants a nice beautiful back drop of a city for a video it’s always fucking Miami always that dam 5th street bridge shot and Palm and Star Island, don’t get me wrong I love Miami I used to live there but there’s no reason my home town can’t be shown in a good light too damnit New York video’s are always in the fucking hood there’s more to NYC’s then the PJ’s, and I’m glad Hov is showing off the greatest city on earth the way it should be. I do admit though there could’ve been some better less obvious shots but no not the PJ’s you seen one project you’ve seen em all when the fuck are people gonna fucking grow up and realize that the PJ’s is not a place you want to be, all your life the whole point is to better yourself and get the fuck out of the project.
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October 31st, 2009 at 1:22 pm
The song is hot already.. the Video isnt that great but why spend all that money on Videos when Tv programs not really playing them ????????? bet mtv vh1. shit cause peopl go on you tube to watch videos so stations dont get that much viewers for music as much. Dam some of ya’ll wake up with hate and dont no shit about another man thats bitchassness..
People normally make Videos to give a song more buzz in this case the video doesnt do much for the buzz cause its already there so it defeats the purpose of over spending on a video
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October 31st, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Big Up to bubble lip shawn.LOL
nice video, NY is a whole lot more than just the Hood!
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October 31st, 2009 at 7:23 pm
everyone talking about why should jay & Hype Williams film the video in the PJs, please listen to “Where I’m From”. Jay said it himself:
“I’m from where the hammer’s rung, New’s cameras never come”
When you only show Manhattan, you’re leaving out what NYC is really about to NYC natives. Everyone sees manhattan from tv shows, morning news shows, movies, MTV, etc. No one captures the real depths of NYC. IF you survey a bunch out-of -towners, they would swear manhattan is NYC. Like NoNo said above, the video comes off like some “Come Visit NYC” commercial put together by NYC.gov
When someone comes to the hood to film, its not to glorify the hood, but to make the people who still live there feel like you didn’t forget about them. There’s a reason why artist shout out where their from, when they first get signed.
Ask yourself, why did Jay take Oprah to Marcy? That’s not where he lives now.
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November 1st, 2009 at 2:17 am
another song saying their more cool cause their from new york lol jk “even the roaches are betta over here in new york son ” lol jk
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November 1st, 2009 at 8:51 am
THIS VIDEO SUCKS WARM MOTH BALLS. THIS COULD BE THE OPENING OF A CSI EPISODE. THESE ARE DA EXACT SAME SHOTS DA WORLD HAS SEEN OVER N OVER N OVER. I GUESS DA BRONX AINT A PART OF NYC.
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November 1st, 2009 at 2:15 pm
yah people don’t know a damn thing yah talkin bout. da video/song represents new york perfectly. i hea talk about oh how come he ain shoot at marcy projects? Lmao Marcy projects aint New York City b. and anotha one
I guess da bronx aint part of nyc. “c’mon son” lmao is yu serious?blind deaf? Why da F*** would he say ” Catch me at da x wit OG at a yankee game shit i made da yankee hat more famous den a yankee game”? n while he’s sayin dat in da video he’s throwin up da x n dey show a sky view of yankee stadium n 161 st. he showed spots in da bronx,harlem,time square, n brooklyn. sure he ain show queens or staten island, but who actually cares abou queens n staten island lmao j/p
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November 2nd, 2009 at 5:35 am
Shit dope as hell & Alicia Keys looking real NICEEEEE! Almost makes Jay look like a sidekick lol! Real nice visuals I already wanted to go to NY & this makes me want to even more!
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November 2nd, 2009 at 9:47 am
Love this video…. It’s so New York………. For those wanting more of “the hood” in this video, go watch “Where I’m From” or “99 Problems” or “Hard Knock Life” or “Streets Is Watching” or “I Can’t Get Wit That”, shiiit, even “Song Cry”. Basically, to paraphrase Jay-Z, “If you want his old videos.. then go watch his old videos.”
But in reality, Jay has always been more about getting out “the hood” in his videos. Ever since the beginning with videos like “In My Lifetime”, “Feelin’ It”, “Ain’t No..”, “Can’t Knock The Hustle”.
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