This video has been making the rounds on the Internet all day, but one more destination can’t hurt.
“Empire State of Mind” (Jay-Z’s version) is easily the defining song of 2009. I can’t remember a single this ubiquitous since Outkast’s 2003 hit “Hey Ya!” Surprisingly, “Empire” is the first chart-topper of Jay-Z’s lengthy career. Alicia Keys even recorded a sequel, “Empire State of Mind, Pt. II (Broken Down)”, for her new album. Together, Jay-Z and Keys have dished out mesmerizing performances of the song at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, 2009 American Music Awards, and the 2009 World Series.
Now we can add “The Colbert Report” to that list. Filling in for Jay-Z, watch as MC Stephen Colbert breaks it down. He even accompanies Keys on harmony.
And listen to the song below. Sound familiar?
