In 2009 Jay-Z and Alicia Keys released their unofficial New York anthem, the song ‘Empire State of Mind’.

The song has been a hit for over a decade, and Roc Nation revealed in an Instagram post that as of June 28, 2023, it is now nine times platinum.

In 14 years, the song continues to rise, gaining momentum year after year.

“Empire State of Mind” was released on September 1, 2009 and went gold and platinum in just two months.

By April 2010, just seven months after its release, it had gone triple platinum. It was originally sung by Angela Hunte and Janet Sewell-Ulepic.

They were also the creators of the first version of the song. However, they featured the song on JAY-Z’s Roc Nation. The rapper, record producer and businessman decided to keep the chorus, change the lyrics and record it himself. Before Alicia Keys, Jay considered Mary J. Blige, but as soon as he heard the piano, he knew Keys was the one.

For five consecutive weeks after its release, “Empire State of Mind” was number one on the Billboard Hot 100.