Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down

"Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down" is a more personal, stripped-down, and introspective interpretation of the anthem originally led by Jay-Z. While the original is a triumphant celebration of success and ambition in New York City, Alicia Keys' version offers a more nuanced and vulnerable perspective. It focuses on the emotional core of the New York experience—the simultaneous struggle and hope that defines life in the city. The lyrics move from the general, cinematic idea of NYC to specific, gritty street-level realities: the sirens, the “mean streets,” people selling drugs, and others praying. The song is about holding onto a “pocketful of dreams” amidst the harshness. It's an acknowledgment that the city's promise isn't always what it seems, but the dream itself provides the fuel to persevere. By stripping away the hip-hop swagger of the original, Keys uses the piano and her emotive voice to convey a sense of longing, bittersweetness, and resilient hope, making it a tribute not just to the city's landmarks, but to the inner state of mind of those who live there.

The narrative begins with a personal reflection on growing up in New York, a city universally recognized from movie scenes. It’s a place of constant noise, blaring sirens, and unforgiving streets. Yet, there’s an underlying belief, a mantra that if one can succeed here, success is possible anywhere. The dream is to see one's own face in the bright lights, one's name on a Broadway marquee. Even with the acknowledgment that the glittering facade might not be the whole truth, the singer holds onto a “pocketful of dreams.”

The chorus is a powerful declaration, branding New York as the “concrete jungle where dreams are made of,” a place of limitless potential. It reinforces the idea that the city has a transformative power, making you feel “brand new” and inspiring you with its “big lights.” It’s a call to celebrate the city’s spirit.

The second verse delves deeper into the city's complex social fabric. It paints a picture of a relentless city that never sleeps, where ladies work tirelessly. It's a “melting pot,” a place of immense diversity and contrast, where on one corner someone might be selling drugs while on another, a preacher prays to God. The lyrics touch upon the harsh realities of poverty and hunger, with some going to sleep dreaming of more than just an “empty fridge.” This verse highlights the duality of the city – a place of both immense opportunity and profound struggle.

The central theme of hope and aspiration resurfaces powerfully in the bridge. It speaks of the city's ability to make you feel completely new and its lights to be a source of profound inspiration. The song culminates in a repeated, anthemic celebration of New York, urging everyone to put their “lighters in the air” in a shared moment of recognition for the city's unique, challenging, and ultimately dream-fueling character. It’s a tribute to the resilience and ambition that defines the New York experience, acknowledging the grit beneath the glamour.

"Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down" was created as a sequel or "answer song" to the massively successful 2009 hit "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z, which featured Alicia Keys on the iconic chorus. The original track was written by Angela Hunte and Jane't "J'nay" Sewell-Ulepic as a tribute to their hometown, New York City. After the original song's immense popularity, Alicia Keys felt the need to create her own version. She wanted to express her personal vision of New York and perform the song in her own style. In interviews, Keys explained that she couldn't just sing the hook at her shows and wanted a version she could perform in its entirety. She conceived it as a "broken down" version, focusing on intimacy, her piano, and her voice. The song was produced by Keys and Al Shux, one of the producers of the original. It was included on her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom, released in December 2009. While originally a Jay-Z rap verse was planned for Part II, the final version featured only Keys. The song was officially released as a single in the UK on February 22, 2010, after it gained significant popularity through album downloads alone.

The song follows a relatively conventional rhyme scheme in its verses, often using AABB or ABCB patterns (e.g., "scenes"/"mean", "loud"/"around"). This simple structure makes the lyrics accessible and memorable. The chorus, however, relies more on the power of its declaration than a complex rhyme scheme, with the repetition of "New York" creating a rhythmic anchor. The song is a ballad with a moderate tempo, set around 84 beats per minute, similar to the original. Its rhythm is defined by Keys' piano playing rather than a drum track. The piano provides a steady, chordal pulse that feels more fluid and expressive than the rigid beat of the Jay-Z version. The lyrical rhythm often syncs closely with the piano, but Keys occasionally uses rubato-like phrasing, slightly pushing or pulling against the tempo to enhance the emotional weight of certain lines. This interplay between the vocal melody and the piano accompaniment gives the song its poignant and heartfelt quality, transforming the original's hip-hop swagger into a soulful, flowing lament and celebration.

Musically, the song's primary stylistic choice is its "broken down" arrangement, which sets it apart from the original. It strips away the heavy drum beats and grand production, focusing instead on Alicia Keys' solo piano and emotive vocals. This creates an intimate, soulful, and ballad-like atmosphere. The arrangement is built around her powerful piano chords, which are both rhythmic and melodic, driving the song forward. Keys' vocal delivery is a key technique; it shifts between a gentle, vulnerable tone in the verses and a powerful, soaring belt in the chorus, effectively conveying both the tenderness and strength inherent in the lyrics. This dynamic range creates a strong emotional arc. Lyrically, Keys employs vivid imagery ("sirens all around," "face in lights") and juxtaposition to paint a picture of the city's duality, contrasting images of hope ("pocketful of dreams") with hardship ("empty fridge"). The use of direct address and anthemic declarations in the chorus invites listener participation, making it feel like a shared urban hymn.

"Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down" achieved significant cultural influence, especially in the UK, where it became a massive success and was arguably more popular than the original Jay-Z version. Without an official US release as a single, it still charted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 55 and the R&B charts based on high download sales from the album The Element of Freedom. In the UK, it peaked at number four on the singles chart, becoming Keys' eighth top-ten hit there. It was the 13th biggest-selling single of 2010 in the UK. The song's popularity led to its inclusion on the soundtrack for the film Sex and the City 2 (2010) and its use in a 2011 HP Beats commercial. Alicia Keys has performed the song at numerous high-profile events, including the 12-12-12 concert for Sandy Relief and the Platinum Party at the Palace for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, cementing its status as a modern standard. It is often viewed not just as a sequel, but as the emotional heart of the "Empire State of Mind" phenomenon, offering a more personal and widely relatable perspective.

The song is rich with symbolism and metaphors that paint a vivid picture of New York City.

• Concrete Jungle: The recurring phrase "concrete jungle where dreams are made of" is a central oxymoron. "Concrete jungle" typically implies a harsh, dangerous, and uncivilized environment. By pairing this with "where dreams are made of," Keys subverts the negative connotation, suggesting that it is within this challenging and gritty environment that the greatest aspirations are forged and realized. It symbolizes the idea that beauty, hope, and success can emerge from struggle.
• Big Lights: The "big lights" and seeing one's "name in marquees" are direct symbols of fame, success, and achieving one's dreams. However, the lyrics also hint at their deceptive nature ("Even if it ain't all it seems"), symbolizing the often-illusory gap between the appearance of success and its reality.
• Pocketful of Dreams: This metaphor represents the intangible hope, ambition, and potential that individuals carry with them. It's a personal, portable form of wealth that fuels their journey, even when material possessions are scarce (contrasted with the "empty fridge").
• Melting Pot: This term is used to describe the immense diversity of the city, where different lives and stories coexist in close proximity—from "preachers" to those "selling rock." It symbolizes a place of friction and fusion, where all facets of humanity are on display.

The most significant recurring motif is the chorus, containing the powerful phrases "New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of" and "These streets will make you feel brand new, big lights will inspire you." This chorus acts as the song's thesis, repeated multiple times to reinforce the central theme of New York as a place of paradox and opportunity. Its repetition transforms it into an anthem, a memorable and chant-like hook that captures the city's essence. Another recurring phrase is the simple, evocative invocation of "New York" at the beginning and end of the chorus, which grounds the song firmly in its location. The image of "lights" is a recurring visual motif, appearing as "face in lights," "big lights will inspire you," and the call to "put your lighters in the air." This imagery consistently represents hope, ambition, and the promise of success that draws people to the city. The repetition of these core ideas, especially the chorus, gives the song its structural integrity and lasting impact, making it instantly recognizable and deeply resonant.