Even those critics who expressed disappointment in Jay-Z‘s Blueprint 3 singled out hometown anthem Empire State of Mind as a standout track. With the immense buzz the record’s created, from its use in CBS’ coverage of the US Open to its epic performance at the VMAs, it was a no-brainer that it would be chosen to follow D.O.A. and Run This Town as the LP’s third official single. As classic and quotable as Hova’s verses are, one could argue that Alicia Keys does on the hook and bridge what Eminem did on the original Blueprint‘s Renegade. Topped off with Shux’ awe-inspiring production (more than just a “beat”), featuring a sample from The Moments’ Love on a Two Way Street, this track may well replace Frank Sinatra’s similarly-titled classic as the Big Apple’s unofficial anthem! And why not? Thanks to Blueprint 3‘s tremendous first-week sales numbers, Jay-Z has broken the record formerly held by Elvis to become music’s all-time solo leader in #1 albums!
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