Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down is a song by American musician Alicia Keys from her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom (2009). It was generally well received by contemporary music critics in their reviews for The Element of Freedom. There was no official music video shot for “Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down”. However, due to the success of the song, leading to it being released as a UK single, the 4Music Favourites performance was shown on music channels as the music video.
“When people sing the lyrics to that chorus they are reminded to dream as big as they possibly can! That’s what ‘Empire’ is about! It gives me chills! In these crazy times, I hope we stay a city (and a country) where that remains true.”
Alicia Keys
Who is Alicia Keys
Musician and actor Alicia Keys was born Alicia Augello Cook on January 25, 1981, in New York, New York. Growing up, Keys was raised by her mother, Nikki Augello—a part-time actress and paralegal. She began piano lessons at age 7 and Augello’s dogged insistence that her daughter stick with the instrument led Keys to attend Manhattan’s prestigious Professional Performance Arts School, where she majored in choir. Having excelled academically, Keys was allowed to graduate at the age of 16.
The city had a huge influence on me because it’s such a diverse place. As hard as [growing up in it was], I always felt very blessed about being able to recognize different cultures and styles, people and places. I feel like the concrete alone just gave me a certain drive. I really saw everything: every negative I could possibly see from the time I could walk until now; and also every positive, every bright future, every dream that I could possibly see. So growing up around this big dichotomy definitely influenced my music.
Alicia Keys
Keys had already attracted the attention of record company executives while in high school years, and after what amounted to a bidding war for her talents, she signed with Arista Records in 1998. While she was accepted to Columbia University on a full scholarship, after a four-week stint at the school Keys departed to devote herself fully to her music.
Keys is listed on the Recording Industry Association of America’s best-selling artists in the United States, selling over 17.8 million albums and 21.9 million digital songs. She has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.
Keys has earned numerous awards including 15 competitive Grammy Awards, 17 NAACP Image Awards, 9 Billboard Music Awards and 7 BET Awards.Keys received 5 Grammy Awards in 2002, becoming the second female artist to win as many in one night. In 2005, Keys was awarded the Songwriters Hall of Fame Hal David Starlight Award, which honors “gifted songwriters who are at an apex in their careers and are making a significant impact in the music industry via their original songs”.
Empire State of Mind Lyrics (Broken Down version)
Ooh, New York
Ooh, New York
Grew up in a town that is famous as a place of movie scenes
Noise is always loud, there are sirens all around and the streets are mean
If I can make it here, I can make it anywhere, that’s what they say
Seeing my face in lights or my name in marquees found down on Broadway
Even if it ain’t all it seems, I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby I’m from New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There’s nothing you can’t do
Now you’re in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York, New York, New York
On the avenue, there ain’t never a curfew, ladies work so hard
Such a melting pot, on the corner selling rock, preachers pray to God
Hail a gypsy cab, takes me down from Harlem to the Brooklyn Bridge
Someone sleeps tonight with a hunger far more than an empty fridge
I’ma make it by any means, I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby I’m from New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There’s nothing you can’t do
Now you’re in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York, New York, New York
One hand in the air for the big city
Street lights, big dreams, all looking pretty
No place in the world that can compare
Put your lighters in the air, everybody say
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
In New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There’s nothing you can’t do
Now you’re in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York