Jay-Z - Gawker

posts about #jayz more →
Important Questions: Is Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' the New 'New York, New York'?
J-School State of Mind: Columbia's Finest Throw Down The Sick Rhymes
Robert Pattinson's Bowel Movements Will Not Be Reported Here
The Jay Leno Show: As Bad as You Thought It Would Be
Live Blogging the Inaugural Episode of The Jay Leno Show
Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly: Jay-Z's Biggest Fans
A Shot At Punitive Damages With Tila Tequila Season Ends Abruptly
Public Service Announcement: Jay-Z, Oprah, Hanging Around Marcy Projects
Jay-Z's Epic, 'Ill' Tribute To The Beastie Boys
Dick Joke Involving Child-Rearing Expert Tom Cruise Gets Funnier

Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.

Dsmvwl Admin Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×

Motoko Kusanagi
11/08/09

In reply to Important Questions: Is Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' the New 'New York, New York'?
I'd like to nominate "Personality Crisis" as the song that best defines NYC for me.

Jay-Z is frat-boy rap. Sinatra is frat boy crooning. #jayz
Reply

Motoko Kusanagi was starred Motoko Kusanagi was unstarred

GreatOdensRaven
11/08/09

In reply to Important Questions: Is Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' the New 'New York, New York'?
I dig this song a great deal, but I keep coming back to one question when asking if "Empire State of Mind" joins or replaces "New York, New York": What happens when Jay-Z is 60?

Sinatra nailed "New York, New York" in his latter years despite his age (64) and that the song wasn't originally written for him (Liza Minnelli). Would anyone wants to hear Jay-Z perform this song in his 60s, or hear someone else try it?

It might be cliché these days, but "New York, New York" has proven it's staying power. The jury's still out on "Empire State of Mind." #jayz
Reply

GreatOdensRaven was starred GreatOdensRaven was unstarred

RachelSklar
11/08/09

In reply to Important Questions: Is Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' the New 'New York, New York'?
I can't believe no one has invoked the Beastie Boys here. Compare and contrast: "Big lights will inspire you" with "Dear New York this is a love letter/To you and how you brought us together/We can't say enough about all you do/'Cause in the city we're ourselves and electric too." Like, come ON.

Also, have to say it: Zeke Turner was way ahead of the curve on this last week: [www.mediaite.com]

But it's still a pretty great hook. #jayz
Reply

RachelSklar was starred RachelSklar was unstarred

Foster Kamer
11/08/09

@RachelSklar: Zeke was right at the curve, but I wouldn't say he was ahead of it on this one. The tipping point was City Hall. Jay-Z rapped about running New York in front of Mayor Bloomberg, who was booed. I'd say that's a moment. A VMA, a World Series Performance, and a good video is one moment short of the curve. #jayz
Reply

Foster Kamer was starred Foster Kamer was unstarred

Foster Kamer
11/07/09

In reply to Important Questions: Is Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' the New 'New York, New York'?
GUYS. I know who Ty-Ty is. Come on. #jayz
Reply

Foster Kamer was starred Foster Kamer was unstarred

Baroness
11/07/09

In reply to Important Questions: Is Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' the New 'New York, New York'?
I honestly and unironically enjoy Keys' soaring vocals on this. Fuck haters saying it's trite. She's singing of the beauty, glamour and inspiration NYC does have for the unjaded. I was jaded, away from NY for a long while. To return is to be exhilarated anew. And I love this romantic, hopeful optimism in Alicia's part.

Jay-Z is still bragging about turning nice girls into whores. I'm feeling mightily over praising guys like this merely for their massive success. Ultimately not my thing I guess. #jayz
Reply

Baroness was starred Baroness was unstarred

SpyMagician
11/08/09

@Baroness: The thing is her voice sounds processed to hell. It does not sound human or heartfelt. It sounds calculated. #jayz
Reply

SpyMagician was starred SpyMagician was unstarred

Aaron Altman
11/07/09

In reply to Important Questions: Is Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' the New 'New York, New York'?
Hey, here's an idea - stop trying to define New York City with one fucking song! #jayz
Reply

Aaron Altman was starred Aaron Altman was unstarred

heywhat
11/07/09

In reply to Important Questions: Is Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' the New 'New York, New York'?
Jay-Z is so overrated. He was lucky enough to be the last guy standing after Tupac and Biggie were murdered. I will give Jay this, he is a master at marketing and publicity. He's also ruthless (check his list of enemies which include Dame, Beans and Biggs, people he used to call his family before he threw them under the bus).

Oh, and Ty-Ty is his childhood friend. #jayz
Reply

heywhat was starred heywhat was unstarred

TopLevelExecutive
11/08/09

@heywhat: Amen. This is why you'll never see me asskissing this rhyme-jacking dude or making him out to be the GOAT. These fans of his obviously have no clue what hip hop is, but are simply jumping on the bandwagon of one rapper who, for all intents and purposes, is part of the reason why its run into the fucking ground. #jayz
Reply

heywhat promoted this comment TopLevelExecutive was starred

JRS-One
11/07/09

In reply to Important Questions: Is Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' the New 'New York, New York'?
Neon McDonald's arches are the most recognizable trademark behind Alicia Keys' piano scenes. Those big lights really will inspire you... Or at least get you a hankering over a Filet-O-Fish. #jayz
Reply

JRS-One was starred JRS-One was unstarred

dippitydoo
11/07/09

@JRS-One: McRib! #jayz
Reply

dippitydoo was starred dippitydoo was unstarred

Aaron Altman
11/07/09

@JRS-One: Mc DLT. #jayz
Reply

Aaron Altman was starred Aaron Altman was unstarred

Magister
11/07/09

In reply to Important Questions: Is Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' the New 'New York, New York'?
The Sinatra song is aspirational, it's about someone dreaming of going to New York to become a success, while a cursory listen to the Jay-Z rap is that it'd appeal to those from the city, but I don't know why a kid in Peoria or someone who recently moved to town would want to crank it. It's not about them.

IOW: The Jay-Z thing might play better with natives, but the city's economy and its place among capitals relies a great deal on convincing folks to move to town.

Plus, there's a lot of chest-thumping.
Reply

Edited by Magister at 11/07/09 4:51 PM Magister was starred Magister was unstarred

randomnessish
11/07/09

In reply to Important Questions: Is Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' the New 'New York, New York'?
I went to a basketball game at Columbia University once, in their dinky little high school-sized gymnasium. They lost. At the end, they played "New York, New York," as if they were in some huge stadium like Yankee Stadium. At that moment, I knew the song had gotten old. #jayz
Reply

randomnessish was starred randomnessish was unstarred

randomnessish
11/07/09

@randomnessish: That being said, it's not like I want to rap about Ty-Ty's at the end of every Yankee game. #jayz
Reply

randomnessish was starred randomnessish was unstarred

badasscat
11/07/09

In reply to Important Questions: Is Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' the New 'New York, New York'?
You're not a real New Yorker if you think any song other than Ace Frehley's "New York Groove" is the defining song of the city. #jayz
Reply

badasscat was starred badasscat was unstarred

MyNameIsChris
11/07/09

@badasscat: You're close but the original by Hello is the classic. #jayz
Reply

MyNameIsChris was starred MyNameIsChris was unstarred

Phyllis Nefler
11/07/09

@badasscat: GOOD CALL. Back when the Giants used be able to score touchdowns that song always rang out at Giants Stadium. #jayz
Reply

Phyllis Nefler was starred Phyllis Nefler was unstarred

Hockeymom
11/07/09

In reply to Important Questions: Is Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' the New 'New York, New York'?
I still like Billy Joel's "New York State of Mind" the best. #jayz
Reply

Hockeymom was starred Hockeymom was unstarred

SarahHeartburn
11/07/09

@Hockeymom: It still jerks my tears here in Yurp, 3500 miles away. But I vote for JZ. Enough already with the old chestnut (and to be fair, Tony Bennett should have had the hit instead of Frank. HE'S from Astoria, after all. #jayz
Reply

SarahHeartburn was starred SarahHeartburn was unstarred

Phyllis Nefler
11/07/09

@Hockeymom: I have a distinct young childhood memory of my father listening to the song, stopping it, rewinding it, over and over and over, and then I realized that he had written down all the lyrics on a little notecard. Awwwwww #jayz
Reply

Phyllis Nefler was starred Phyllis Nefler was unstarred

VoxPopuli
11/07/09

In reply to Important Questions: Is Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' the New 'New York, New York'?
Or we could go the Grandmaster Flash route.
I can't find the "New York, New York" video on YouTube, so I'll link to the video I found here. (The wardrobe alone is worth the click through):
[www.dailymotion.com] #jayz
Reply

VoxPopuli was starred VoxPopuli was unstarred

The One
11/07/09

@VoxPopuli: You are awesome! I hadn't heard that song in decades! #jayz
Reply

The One was starred The One was unstarred

taritac002
11/07/09

In reply to Important Questions: Is Jay-Z's 'Empire State of Mind' the New 'New York, New York'?
Both are great songs, but "Empire State of Mind" evokes a more visceral reaction in my opinion, with Alicia Keys's hook. The song carries you along with it.

And I disagree that it is more about Jay-Z; perhaps it is about him in the sense that we're seeing New York from his eyes-- what he thinks is so great about it. The Sinatra song is a "self" focused (the generic self) song moreso than "Empire State." "New York, New York" is a song about possibilities, about the opportunities New York (used to?) offer to someone trying to "make it," but is not about how great the town is, really.

I am kind of disappointed that you (Foster) and the other commentators are setting this up as some sort of song rivalry, as if there is not room in NYC for more than one iconic song. I was excited about the idea of "Empire State" *joining* the ranks of "New York, New York" as further celebration of that great city, not as a song that will supplant it.

Reply

SpyMagician promoted this comment taritac002 was starred taritac002 was unstarred

Foster Kamer
11/07/09

@taritac002: Did you read it all the way through? Some people will call this a shame. Others will call it progress. I call it a win-win situation. #jayz
Reply

Foster Kamer was starred Foster Kamer was unstarred

SpyMagician
11/07/09

@taritac002: Well, the thing about "Empire State" is that it speaks to the narcissism of today. When I hear the phrase, "Big lights will inspire you..." I cringe. It seems to acknowledge every bad idea that the new NYC economy has spawned.

I can just see someone listening to that while making business plans for their gourmet $4 cupcake business.

Also, you can’t karaoke it. It’s too processed and robotic. It really sounds like something a computer spits out or a Japanese idol song.

Which all means: Sinatra! #jayz
Reply

SpyMagician was starred SpyMagician was unstarred

Morningstar
11/07/09

@SpyMagician: That Alicia Keys part makes me cringe too--but not just the trite words--she's singing at the very top of her range, and it hurts to hear her sing.

Back in the pre-NY, NY days, if any one can remember, the anthem was the old song "Sidewalks of New York." The plus: Anyone could sing along. The minus: Who was Mamie O'Rourke? #jayz
Reply

SpyMagician promoted this comment Morningstar was starred Morningstar was unstarred

If_I_Had_a_Poodle
10/25/09

In reply to J-School State of Mind: Columbia's Finest Throw Down The Sick Rhymes
To quote Sarah Silverman, "As a Jew, I'm concerned that we're losing control of the media." #jschool
Reply

If_I_Had_a_Poodle was starred

Earlier threads | All threads | Show hidden threads | Show featured threads only | Start a new discussion